<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Josie by WrathNotRat</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27560215">Josie</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrathNotRat/pseuds/WrathNotRat'>WrathNotRat</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Far Cry (Video Games), Far Cry 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Childhood Memories, Fluff, Gen, Guilt, Homelessness, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Malnutrition, Nicknames, Separations, Siblings, Swearing, Visions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:20:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>31,493</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27560215</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrathNotRat/pseuds/WrathNotRat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"When I was 3, I struggled with my Js. That became a bit of a bother. They named us with ease, my young tongue struggled.</p><p>Jacob became "Pop". He was more of a dad to us.</p><p>Joseph became "Oey". He sang to me.</p><p>John became "Oni". He's my twin brother. </p><p>Me? My name is Josephine, now that I can nail my Js. Or Josie. I prefer Josie. Jos? Sometimes."</p><p> </p><p>When Josephine Seed was 6, her siblings and herself were split up because of a choice she was part of. Burdened with guilt, she lives her life separate and in harsh conditions up until something brings her to Hope County, unaware that her brothers have settled here. Once she realises, she struggles between wanting to stay and knowing she should leave. </p><p>-</p><p> Totally dedicated to my favourite Fanfic, the one that first got me to publish on here, And Grace Will Lead Me Home by Dearly_Divided 🎈 Unless you think my story is terrible, then nobody because I don't want any terrible stories connected to my favourite 😅</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>74</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A want to flee yourself.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi!!! Me again!!! Fuckin hell, right?? I mean, haven't you had enough of my posting weekly with our Jade, now Josie has to pop her head in, too?? Fuckmeup, that's a bitch. </p><p>Ah well, if you don't know me, I swear a lot. That's about all of life. </p><p>So we've got a sibling fanfic!! Tried to remain along the canon string but you know how pesky we are compared to Ubi. THIS is why they don't hire us. It's APPROX 12 Chapters long, posted weekly, usually earlier than this but I decided three hours back was a BRILLIANT time to scrub my back garden. Fucking genius that I am. </p><p>Comment away, chiiiildren. Loudly announce like you like Noodles. That Chris Evans is slightly too goody and he'd be hotter as a bearded villain. Go on... *nudge*</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I knew what I was now.</p><p>I was so close. Probably bout three miles off, but they managed to cut off my route. Thing is is that they weren't even after me, they were after that damn resistance. I only became aware of their existence not two days back. By then, I had just figured out where I knew the Seed brothers from. I didn't know they'd be <em> exactly </em> here. Just thereabouts.</p><p>That day I found out, I tore that grotty cabin to shreds. Fury coming out from every part of me, glass and ash until there was nothing left. Wasn't my brightest idea but it gave me an out for that moment, for that second. </p><p>Leave, Josie. What's done is done. Now they're here, you gotta go.</p><p>I got in my stolen truck, a rucksack with what I could scrounge up, and headed to the edge of neighbourhood. The edge of the county wasn't like a wall, I was certain they'd try to look beyond it.</p><p>We had all heard the rumours but I... Shit, I dunno. Guess I didn't connect it. It couldn't be possible, it made no sense. I dragged my fingers up into my recently shortened brownish hair, automatically kneading them into my neck.</p><p>This made <em> no </em> sense.</p><p>I slammed my palm into the steering wheel, furious at them, at me, at fuckwit in the sky. Come on, dummy. Get out. Flee. You can't fight them, they started that reaping shit the night on that day I found out about them. </p><p>Trust me to find them then automatically be killed by them. </p><p>Of course, by the next day, they found their precious Lamb floating down the river. A man, a deputy. I'd seen a couple of the others but not this one. </p><p>Not yet. </p><p>Not as he was.</p><p>Not yet.</p><p>Not this corpse they strapped to a board and flaunted across all channels then strapped it to that pious fuck's statue where the birds picked at it.</p><p>So what now? Well, the dick in charge decided he would have another "vision" to suit his murderous needs. </p><p>A woman. Reddish brown of hair. Vibrant blue eyes. A scar at the back of her neck.</p><p> "She who matches these features, or even comes close, MUST be brought to us unharmed."</p><p> That was yesterday, now they insisted on ANY woman.</p><p>That fuck probably saw me on a security camera and got bored. There's <em> no fucking way </em> they knew who I was. It's not possible. </p><p>After that, violent attacks lessened. The threat was still there, they still collected people and tossed them in their cages to be dragged fuck knows where, but there was less death now, less strung up bodies. At least, fresh ones. </p><p>However, with the more groups of men, more wolves, more helicopters, it became harder to disappear. I cut off the majority of my hair, to mannish strands, and rubbed ash in it from a long gone fire. It...kinda worked. I looked like an actual fire pit. I rubbed in mud, coal dust, literal dirt, covered my hair up entirely in a used black cap I found by the edge of a burned out truck, and made my way towards the North star. </p><p>Whitetail mountains. I couldn't go East. There was some drug there that made me woozy. Like what I imagined drunk is like. West and... Personal choice. </p><p>I knew he was there by all the billboards. Cocky shit.</p><p>North it was. Plenty of places to hide, no wide open spaces. Just run, kid. I dumped my truck cos of the obvious reasons grouped up in dozens of areas of guns and bullets, screaming and crying, and made my way by foot. </p><p>I had this. Well, I had not much. But I was dressed like a dude, even blackened the smooth chin I had, my cheekbones. Maybe they'd think of me as a bum and not take me. I gotta jump in the mud a bit, too. Really sell it. </p><p>They don't have soap, right? </p><p>Fuck, Jos, just go. North star. Hit that bitch. Nobody out here but me and the crickets. Just me. Not that camera that's following me, or that...is that a red light? </p><p>No. Nonono. They won't catch me. They can't! </p><p>I don't wanna go back. </p><p>Run. </p><p>
  <em> "Brother Jacob, we have another lost sheep on our land. Orders. ... Sir, Yes Sir. Out." </em>
</p><p> The hum of mosquitos and I welcomed the bite for it wasn't a bullet. It would itch like a bitch but it wouldn't hogtie me and toss me in a truck for a life I never thought of. </p><p>I hadn't been here long, but the rumours of wolves were never-ending. Keep your ears cleaned out. If you hear the howl, run. If the howl stops, die.</p><p>There was no howl. Just me and the night buzzies. It was nice, peaceful. I'd enjoy it more if I hadn't seen that light. </p><p>And even more so if that light hadn't followed me the entire way here. </p><p>It had dotted the floor ahead of me from behind, following me for the last hour through the forest, through the trees. I was honestly stuck. I'd turn around and the forest floor would waft up from the bullet that struck it. I'd turn the wrong way from this bullet to my back and it refused me my choices. </p><p>I had to go where it led me, which was where the North star lit up the night sky. </p><p>But I had already failed, I was already caught. </p><p>
  <em> "Sector 8-5.9. We have the lost sheep guided by our light, over. Do we have permission to take them? ... Sir, Yes Sir. Out." </em>
</p><p>I came across the cabin around 2am. It was pitch black... Where I was. Occasionally, an explosion would light up in the distance, or a fire. I knew not to go that way. </p><p>Not like it mattered.</p><p>Whoever was following me remained. </p><p>I was tired, the dirt and mud in my hair was bitty under the cap. It was ridiculous but it had to be just enough to throw them off from my hair. They'd find me like an extra bright beacon out here, and when they'd finally stopped pissing about, I needed my hair to be covered just enough so they'd toss me in the bottom of their bitch ass bunkers and forget about me. </p><p>Temporary. Desperate.<br/>
All I had. </p><p>You're mad at me, I know, cos the only weapon I have is mace. I'm mad, too. There was a crowbar in the truck. I didn't want to go down easily. I wanted a bruise left on a cheek that a person can wince at later on. A trail of intestines and a ball sack left on the side of the fucking road as a warning that maybe we're not going down without leaving a gift. </p><p>But I had mace. Stinging eyes. Possibly enough to rob them of sight? I'd study it if I could. I didn't have much but street smarts and that involves punching and kicking repeatedly in all directions.</p><p>The red dot wouldn't like that. I'd named it Dotty. It made its way into the cabin with me, flickering across the ratty leftover furniture. I wish it would leave me alone, I wish it had a throat to slit.</p><p>There was no bodies here, but remains. A trail of blood, a popped eye. From before they started getting all soft, most likely. </p><p>I wonder if they miss me or they just want me back because they feel I <em> belong </em> to them. </p><p>A sharp whistle in the distance but it doesn't belong to Dotty who remains steadily focusing on the dirt beside me. Or perhaps it does, I don't know how they play this game.</p><p>
  <em> "Sir, tracked sheep is at rest by cabin 37, do we have permission to take them? ... Sir, yes Sir. Chosen 53 and Chosen 79 at standby on your command. Out." </em>
</p><p>I stumble about, tired from my led pace through the forest. I suppose I better get some rest. Dotty balanced itself against the floor not an hour back, shortly followed by Dotty jr who covered my other exit angrily when I tried to sneak out. </p><p>I wasn't playing their game, and a bullet from Jr smacked the floor hard, a waft of dust and grainy green dusted up into the dirty air. I had plucked the bullet up, twisting it between my fingers. There was their tiny emblem at the base and a crust of fine green powder at the tip. </p><p>Now I lay down on a torn, bloodied jacket of the dead, a bullet in my hand, and two twinkling dots as my future.</p><p>
  <em> Sir, position Sector 4 Niner Delta. On your command. ... No, Sir. No details on gender. ... Meet at Cooper confirmed. Out." </em>
</p><p> Dotty flickered. Once, twice. They were on the move. Keep down, keep steady. Just get one mace in. They'll make you suffer anyways. </p><p>Fuck them.</p><p>My fist aimed for his eye, and he dodged it, right into the path of my mace. Mwahaha. Yea, sure, it got me a lil but I was still laughing while he was cursing up a storm. </p><p>Naughty boy.</p><p>I stamped on his foot, which did little through his boot, then bounced off his boot to knee him hard in the balls. They don't make boots for balls so the red tipped fucker folded like a matchstick. </p><p>I aimed for an exit, four in total, Dotty and Jr added by one, five, seven, until it was like a laser disco. The *pfft* and *zing* of bullets booped around me. I had seconds, if that. </p><p>And then a brand new large fucker slammed the edge of what I assume to be his ego right into my forehead. I crumpled like tinfoil, my legs folding beneath me as the red lasers focused on what bits of my body they could find. </p><p>A thick gloved hand smeared the bottom half of my face, brushing the bits of mud and dust away, yanking my hat off and spitting in my hair. They tugged at it, yanking at the strands as I pathetically tried to smack him away. His mitts started to pad my body up and down, groping at my chest and checking the clothing for weapons. </p><p>There were mutterings, barely anything over the ringing in my ears, and another matchstick appeared and swung his fucking boot into my ribs. My want outlived my need, and I grabbed his boot, twisting it as hard as I could, letting the shit flop on his ass out of sight.</p><p>He was up in seconds, coming in for another kick. </p><p>And that's when the other matchstick shot him in the head.</p><p> "...Weak." He muttered roughly, stuffing his gun back in his belt. He shoved his gloved fingers into his mouth, tugging at the fabric with his teeth, and spat it out onto my belly. My breath was just returning from his fucking <em> shooting </em> this other guy, and I grasped at his empty glove like it was a stuffed bear. </p><p> "...tor 4 Niner Delta. We have the sheep. Chosen 53 culled. ... Yes, Sir..." He looked down at me, crouching to brush more dirt off my cheek. "...20s, 30s, female. Hair of..." He sighed, spitting on his hand and brushing it through my hair again. "...Unknown colour, Sir. ... Yes, Sir. 2 klicks. Out." </p><p>He sighed again, stepping over me to grab the tags off the corpse beside me, tucking them into his chest pocket. I started to squirm, admittedly a hint of fear at the back of my throat, but this man, who seemed patient but gritty, turned his head towards me and slowly shook it, his eyes barely there in the dark. </p><p>I nodded, holding the glove tighter to my chest. That seemed to satisfy him enough, and he brought his radio back up to his mask. "Chosen 79 to Snipe 14, need a backup. You're on my ass. Out." </p><p> A red dot flickered against my ankle, finally disappearing into nothing. I couldn't remember what its name was. </p><p>The others remains, scrambling for any bit of me partly stuck out of this building. </p><p>I jumped from staring at the red when the matchstick spoke directly to me, shifting me softly with his muddied boot. "Alright, honey. ..." He reached past me, leaning to collect a long, thin stick like object by the door. There was string looped on the edge, which he collected with his bare hand, but that didn't bother me as much as the thin metal bar with the loop metal tongs on the end, large enough to...</p><p>Oh. Fuck. He shoved it straight down, the icy cold metal making me jump as it encircled my neck. He pulled at something (??) and a tiny ominous *click* made my breath short again when the metal tightened. </p><p> "...Up we go." He tugged at it, pulling back and keeping me ahead of him. Like a wild animal on a stick?? What the fuck?? I got shoved out the door, and a hooded figure stepped forward from the shadows, grabbing the rope and tying my hands behind my back. </p><p>Oddly, they let me keep the glove.</p><p>A quick kick to my upper thigh and he began to lead me through the forest. The only sounds being my heavy breathing, the freed crickets, and the flies circling the blood we left behind. </p><p>I stumbled through the forest, no way to escape. Every now and again, I'd see the flicker of a fresh matchstick in the distance, walking to the same direction we were going. They were holding two people, one quite old, possibly a man, on the same neck tongs as I had wrapped around me. One was gagged. They fought but... Why? They had minimum six guards, I had two, one a sniper. There's not enough mace to get out of this.</p><p>My only hope was that they wouldn't recognise me. Why would they? Maybe they forgot. I just need one to doubt and I'm free, one way or another. </p><p>Maybe... I trip. Whoops, bad fucking rock, and smack my head on another fucking rock.</p><p>I'll be honest, I expected mud. It's quite dark. </p><p>The matchstick swears up a storm, he's the one who wasn't holding my stick tight enough, right? There's a trickle of blood from a gash to my brow, I even manage to shed a few tears. They've got me out of shit before. </p><p>They work, the matchstick's eyes frown from beneath his mask, and he smears away my tears with a grubby, callused thumb, hushing me quietly. He starts off again, this time holding onto my arm as well as the stick. Like I said, not my brightest idea, but even if there's a hint of humanity in this man then I'll get tossed in a bandage. Or even killed!! Oh fuck, just get me out of this. </p><p>We come up to an opening with a caravan and big beefy guys with big beefy guns. They pace the area, guns up and ready to bit us the fuck up. </p><p>There are cages. Six of them, with more arriving on a nearby truck. My breath catches again, I suddenly feel like I'm on a stage. </p><p>All the lights, all the strangers, the cage being my mark.</p><p>I've forgotten my fucking lines. </p><p>A thumb brush to my arm brings me back, and the man shoves me to my knees. "They don't want em infected. Anybody got their med kit?" </p><p>A smaller matchstick steps forward, unclipping a small red bag from his inside pocket, and I'm made to sit on a rock as I'm buffed across the brow with scented wipes. I hiss when he digs too deep, the skin tugging with the wet cloth. It stings a little. </p><p>To our right comes the other people I saw in the woods. The prisoners tremble, and start to fight when they see the cages spread out, their doors opened, dried blood pooled at the base.</p><p>Someone, a beefy, starts to clout the gagged person hard across the head with the edge of his weapon. </p><p>My matchstick feels me tense up, and drops his hand on my shoulder heavily, still dabbing away at my self inflicted ouchie. </p><p>I think I gotta good one. At least, compared to...</p><p>A sharp whistle. </p><p>And the world tenses up.  </p><p>Even my matchstick stands to attention, a dribble of blood runs down into my eye when my neck tong thing tightens. </p><p>A large cherry red pickup truck slams to a halt, a scarred arm hanging out the side casually until it yanked at the door handle...</p><p>And my eldest brother hopped out.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Too lost to wish I missed you.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Josie struggles as one part of her wants to hug her brother and the other part wants to kick her brother's ass. Either way, she'll be noticed. Better to just be muddy trash. She knows she's good at that.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi!!!! Just a second BALL ROLLIN Chapter. Nothing else from Josie till next Saturday now cos I gotta start on a new fic which is secretive and a completely ORIGINAL idea. I KNOW!!! That means I have a cup o talent. I'm surprised, too. </p>
<p>Have a great week, fwuffbuckets 💜</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When I was 3, I struggled with my Js. That became a bit of a bother. They named us with ease, my young tongue struggled.</p>
<p>Jacob became "Pop". He was more of a dad to us.</p>
<p>Joseph became "Oey". He sang to me.</p>
<p>John became "Oni". He's my twin brother. </p>
<p>Me? My name is Josephine, now that I can nail my Js. Or Josie. I prefer Josie. Jos? Sometimes.</p>
<p>I remember bits of our childhood. </p>
<p>A lot of screaming, begging, blood. And the one thing that connects us all: The scar to the back of our necks. </p>
<p>Jacob got his when he was 13. Joseph got his when he was 11. </p>
<p>John and I, we got ours when we were 5. </p>
<p>It was my fault... No, it wasn't. But it might have been the fault of 5 year old me as to why we both got them so young. Apparently, being twins that looked fairly identical, after I got mine, John <em> needed </em> to get his. </p>
<p>I was so mad that I didn't get to apologise to my big (by 2 minutes btw) brother. We were separated less than a year later. </p>
<p>Let's not get into that now.</p>
<p>Currently, I was fucked. I didn't want them as they were. They were monsters, and I, while occasionally pesky, was <em> not </em> a monster.</p>
<p>I don't know why they knew I was here, I just had to fade away. It's been, what? 26 years? If they recognise me now, they deserve the world's smallest trophy. </p>
<p>Don't make a scene. Don't make a sound. Don't look him in the eye, Jacob isn't "Pop" anymore. </p>
<p>He's Jacob Seed, and he'll hurt you. </p>
<p>Jacob slammed the door so hard the window shuddered heavily in its frame, and began to speak to a Sniper who had run up. </p>
<p>I heard bits, trying to keep my head down and the blood dripping but also aware that all the motherfuckers were still standing to attention. </p>
<p>I daren't squirm, I daren't fight. I won't win and I'll be in his eyeline. </p>
<p>But the other prisoner, the gagged one, a middle aged man with a big belly, doesn't care. He starts to fight against his bounds, squirming just enough for his sleeve to slide the rope off. Nobody notices, it seems. All eyes on bi...Jacob. Jacob. </p>
<p>The belly man walks casually backwards, brushing against the cage and making his way back into the fores...</p>
<p>I gasp, my heart in my throat when a red handled blade sticks out of his chest. </p>
<p>I didn't even... Be quiet, you're nobody. Maybe he'll kill you, and then...and then... A tear rolls down my cheek, and I don't try to stop it.</p>
<p>Maybe it'll add to my appearance as a total disaster. The gash, the tears, the dirt...Why on earth would anybody think I'm related to the red haired army man currently yanking his blade out of the body and smearing the blood on that big belly? </p>
<p>Myself and the old man look away, but his men watch him. Of course they do. "Eyes ahead" means <em> on him. </em> Cowardice to look away. What a fucked up perspective. </p>
<p>I feel his eyes on me but barely as Jacob takes in the scene. He casually whistles as he strolls back to his pickup truck, and yanks a filled duffel bag out.</p>
<p>I glance at the other prisoner just as he glances at me. He tries to smile but there's fear in his eyes. </p>
<p>A growling voice, I barely recognise, starts to order his men about, asserting his authority. "At Ease. We have another group at 0340. I need these two in the cages. Make sure they're free of weapons and put the chains on. You know what to do." He tosses the duffel bag in the centre, a single chain flickering out like a bloody snake. </p>
<p>I scoff at the difference in him. One time he <em> literally </em> stole an apple pie cooling on a windowsill cos we hadn't eaten in three days, and now he'd advanced to murder?! </p>
<p>Of course, who am I kidding?</p>
<p>If I'd known back then, I woulda starved myself. </p>
<p>My matchstick brushed his thumb against my leaking brow, licking his thumb again like he was a mother hen. I was forced to look up as I was tended to, but I was lucky in that Jacob was ordering his men about on the other side of the caravan. </p>
<p> "Hey..." My matchstick started quietly, stabbing his nail into my wound seemingly to get my attention. "...Jus do what he says, ya hear? No heroics. Accept your punishment and take the father into your heart." </p>
<p> Oh wow, yea, thanks for the advice, murder man. Father was already in my goddamn heart, locked away at the back for when I was able to find him again as a fourteen year old. I hope I don't see the version in charge of a cult. As obsession goes... Well, I've seen the signs. </p>
<p>One of them catches me, and I'm fucked. </p>
<p>One of them catches me, and I'm discovered as their kid sister and... What's worse than fucked? <em> Royally </em> fucked? </p>
<p>Whatever.</p>
<p>Just do what the matchstick says and maybe they'll bury you.</p>
<p>Oh my shit, where do I even look?</p>
<p>Wait? Wasn't it <em> Accept </em> the father into your heart, and <em> take </em> your puni... I squeak as my neck tong is yanked upwards and I'm dragged back towards the cages, my boots digging into the mud beneath us. I can't even grasp at the metal as my hands are still tied so I feel a choke coming on. </p>
<p> "Easy, Morello. The father wants them alive." My matchstick hisses at the person behind me. </p>
<p> I'm shoved by the neck to the dirt, face first. Gasping when my freshly placed bandage immediately gets muddy and my cut stings from the intrusion. "Get up, <em> Sinner." </em> A boot is smashed into my hip bone when I take too long to try to grab my footing from the dirt. </p>
<p>Matchstick grabs my arm and tugs me up into his chest, my head spinning from being tossed about. "I said <em> easy, </em> you want me to tell brother Jacob why this kid is brain dead? Get your ass back in line <em> now." </em></p>
<p> "What's goin on here, men?"</p>
<p> Oh shit.</p>
<p>I shrink immediately, pretending I'm afraid. My arms behind me are grabbed and I near fall backwards into another person. "Sir! You ordered us to move these Sinners. I'm merely accepting your order and carrying it out." </p>
<p> "Ehhuh. Did I order you to <em> mistreat </em> the Sinners that aren't fucking off into the forest?" Jacob grabbed my arm, pulling me into him. </p>
<p>I almost passed out with how familiar his scent was. </p>
<p> "Chosen, listen. Those that do what we say will <em> not </em> be mistreated." I was shoved into my matchstick, who held me firmly by the shoulder. "This is the word of the Father. Get back to work."</p>
<p> He stormed off, clipping the... Morello(?) over the head with the palm of his hand. Matchstick nudged me forward, ordering me on my knees before the cage. I knelt down in the slushy mud, my side aching from the kick, and my wrists were freed. </p>
<p>He allowed me one moment to rub at the marks on my tender flesh, then, almost with what I assume to be mocking regret, he wrapped my wrists ahead of me in a grubby thin fabric then wrapped the chain around my wrists. I was forced forward on my knees into the blood strain at the base of the cage and my wrists were chained to the roof of the cage, the door slamming shut behind me. </p>
<p>I took a moment to breathe, my head hanging low as I could, then started to glance carefully around me through the bars. The older man seemed to have a little trouble remaining on his knees, but he had managed it, and he was smiling reassuringly at me once more.</p>
<p>Jacob still spoke to his men near the caravan, leaning over a broken table with possibly a map stretched out across the top. The Chosen stood strong at the edges of the site, a flicker of red would stream across my belly, across the cage. </p>
<p>I was never alone here. </p>
<p>But he had me in his arms...and nothing. </p>
<p>I might be okay. </p>
<p>Well, apart from the fact that I'm hanging by my arms to a cage surrounded by large culty strangers with guns who can kill me, like, a lot. </p>
<p>Otherwise, peachy.</p>
<p>My fate was formed by ho...</p>
<p> *Tzzzt*</p>
<p>A howl escaped my lips when my body suddenly jolted. </p>
<p>Everybody looked at me. </p>
<p> I felt fuzzy, swinging by my wrists as I tried to return to common sense.</p>
<p> "...ing for an escape. I was reminding her of her place with us." </p>
<p> I blinked slowly when I watched Morello explain why he had electrocuted my cage. Wha..? Escape? That's hardly possible.</p>
<p>The cage shifted and I swung again, dizzy from the electrocution. I kept my gaze down, pretending it was too much to lift my head. "Oi, you aight? Hang in there, pup." </p>
<p> Hang in there? <em> You </em> hang in there, you big dumbass brother. </p>
<p>No!! Fuck, he's not... Yea, he is. I miss him. </p>
<p>Shhh. It's okay, Jos. You're not here.</p>
<p>You're... In the third...No, the fourth home. The one with the good cupcakes that kicked you out cos the eldest brother there became too ...close.</p>
<p>They were good cupcakes. Butter frosting. When I was thirteen, they let me have a <em> mountain </em> of them for my birthday.</p>
<p>Then I was tossed out when my breasts developed, and I had to kick the shit out of their son.</p>
<p>Lovely frosting.</p>
<p>Jacob walked away, his clunky jewellery swinging, and I swung, too. Suddenly tired.</p>
<p>I closed my eyes, only to open them when the screams started.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. You try to find her, but you have me instead.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little flashes of memory drag Jos back more than he does.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi!!!!</p>
<p>This is SURPRISING popular!! We do love our extra secret sibling stories, right?? Me too. I tried to make her a little southern American but I do NOT live anywhere near there, so I just caught up a bit on Jacob vids, and the section at the end of FC5 when Joseph let his Georgia out in his anger, and tried to make a character out of it 😅</p>
<p>Alright, fwuffbuttkins!! See you next week 💜💜💜</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Four women, one men.</p>
<p>Two women were tied up and tonged by the neck like I was. They were middle aged, neither was making a sound. </p>
<p>The screams came from the younger group. The man had blood up his entire left side like he'd half been dunked into a river of blood, which, with the constant copper flavouring to the air, was certainly a possibility. He was being prodded in the back by one of those beefy gun men. He looked exhausted, younger than me, too. Mid 20s? </p>
<p>The two women were screaming. They held each other tightly, begging and pleading nobody at all. A matchstick man simply shoved them along, two more men behind him. </p>
<p>And a wolf. It wasn't... Right, I guess? It seemed angrier and trained, for that matter. It was also silent, steady. Watching just as carefully as its owner did. </p>
<p>Do I...look the wolf in the eye? I can't remember the rules. </p>
<p>Jacob glanced up as the new people were forced on their knees in the dirt, under the near blinding lights. </p>
<p> "Okay. Men, grab those caged and line them up. Guns on triggers." Jacob ordered, crossing his arms as the matchsticks dragged me and the elderly man out, dumping us at the end. My arms were shaky, and still chained together, I could feel the trembling of the elderly man beside me. </p>
<p>Really, how much of a threat could he be? </p>
<p>I leaned into him, keeping me steady as I could when he fell against my shoulder. That Morello <em> fuck </em> matched towards us, seemingly to drag us apart, but Jacob took a step directly into his path.</p>
<p>And slashed his blade across Morello's throat. </p>
<p>The blood spurted out, skimming Jacob's chest and gushing out over the elderly man and I when Jacob took a step back. I brought my chained arms up to try to lessen the blood on my companions face, but he still got dotted in it. He's just an elderly man, for fuck's sake. The street's full of them.</p>
<p>Are we supposed to get used to the blood of another bathing us cos I'm getting a little tired of it. </p>
<p>A woman screamed, and tried to hug her companion again but was forced apart when the wolf bit her shoulder, dragging her to the side. She screamed louder, the one guarding her smacking his gun across the back of her head and ordering his wolf back to his side. The woman slumped forward into the mud, soon to be dragged away by two men with a muttered order by Jacob to take her "Straight to brother John's." </p>
<p> I gulped loudly, crushing my hold against the man beside me. He muttered unintelligible utterings, begging nobody around us to let his family go.</p>
<p>My eyes left my hopeless friend, and took in the scene just as Jacob ordered the men dragging the woman to stop. He dragged her under the light, yanked at thick strands of hair, searchi... Oh fuck. </p>
<p>Fuck. </p>
<p>I need to go. </p>
<p>They <em> are </em> looking for me. </p>
<p>The wolf, in all its fury, gave me my horrific out. </p>
<p>I'm guessin it was ramped up cos of the blood lust, as in a horrifying flash of red and white fur, it tore out the back of the old man's neck. </p>
<p>The man gurgled out threads of blood, it flew out his mouth and splattered against the mud before us.</p>
<p>My response was immediate. I pushed the old man's face to the dirt, the wolf following the torn flesh, and wrapped my chains around the wolf's neck, crushing the metal as hard and as fast as I can. </p>
<p>The wolf died with a quick yelp and a kick of its back leg.</p>
<p>The whole world was silent... And staring.</p>
<p>So I did the most natural thing I could.</p>
<p>I dug my nails into the back of the wolf corpse, hefted it up in the air, and <em> threw </em> it directly at Jacob.</p>
<p>I didn't look, I just ran. </p>
<p>-26 years ago-</p>
<p>Just hide, dummy. You so small, he won't see you. </p>
<p> "Josephine!! Get out here NOW!" </p>
<p> He hit Pop. Pop hit the ground. Oey has him. </p>
<p>It up to me. </p>
<p>I grasp the rock in my tiny hands. I balance it between the two. The tree is big and tall. So was Pop. Pop would push the tree over but I can't.</p>
<p>Pop taught me that "nature has a way of sorting things out. Now get out of here, rugrat." </p>
<p> A rock is nature, too. When I found it, there was ants crawling up over it. I thought that's a good idea, bug. I'll climb up, too. </p>
<p>Me. Me and nature will take care of my brothers. They so big, but I can climb <em> anything. </em></p>
<p>-Present day-</p>
<p> "Come on, pup. I promise I won't hurt ya. I just wanna <em> chat." </em> Jacob was not under my tree, but he was soso close. </p>
<p> "That was a damn good kill. I'm sure you're meant to be one of my men. Come on out and I'll letya have your own room."</p>
<p> What the fuck does he take me for? </p>
<p>I pick up a twig and under throw it behind me. I want to test his hearing, and it's damn good. He runs fast, too. I musta thrown him off when I threw that wolf at him. Maybe he was too cocky. </p>
<p>Come on, Jos. Don't you get cocky. Blend into the darkness. Be the fucking tree. What he'll make you will be worse, whether he finds out who you are or not.</p>
<p> "I haven't got time for this shit, pup! I'm looking for someone and I will rip through <em> anyone </em> that stands in my way."</p>
<p> Aww, he's thinking of me. I roll my eyes and settle back against the gritty wood. My ribs hurt but I'm basically okay. Still a bit chained up. </p>
<p>I can wait here <em> all </em> night.</p>
<p>-26 years ago-</p>
<p>There's too much. I didn't... Yea, I did. He hurt Pop real bad this time, and Oey can't lift his arm, and Oni... Oni...</p>
<p>A salty tear rolls down my icy cheek and I angrily brush it away. My fault. My fault.</p>
<p>He deserve this. Pop know, too. I tell him, I tell all of them. </p>
<p>-Present day-</p>
<p>He's gone</p>
<p>...Quiet.</p>
<p>Like a furious panther...He wants people to think, but he used to bumble and crash about like a big red bear. I stifle my snort. I remember. Every second here brings it all back. Such a short amount of time together impacted me greatly.</p>
<p>Was he impacted, too? Doubtful. Probably like a blur of childhood. He probably has like 20 more sisters now. </p>
<p>They probably want me to sacrifice me. They seem into that. Probably have like a blade that belonged to Moses or some shit.</p>
<p>I wonder if Oni is better? He had an infection after our scar was placed, and he latched onto Oey for months afterwards. Didn't say a word to me for weeks. </p>
<p>I deserved it.</p>
<p>A fresh waft of blood from that day in the forest, and I'm back there. </p>
<p>I deserved it.</p>
<p>-26 years ago- </p>
<p> <em> "Just hush up, Jos. We gotta figure this out." </em></p>
<p>Blood still trickled down Pop's brow. I wanted to clean him up like he did to me. Our father was hurt real bad. Nature led the way, like Pop taught me. </p>
<p> "Pop?" I kneel down next to Pop tryin to fix our father. There's lots of blood, it gushed all over, the forest is pretty with it. His head popped like tha fancy watermelon from the market. "Let nature take him."</p>
<p> "What? Jos, that's not how nature..."</p>
<p> "He's the reason I ran here. He's not good an nature thinks so. Let nature have father. Please, Pop. I don't like him."</p>
<p> Pop stares at father.</p>
<p>Then he stares at me.</p>
<p>-Present day-</p>
<p> "Gotcha."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Waiting for you to toss me out.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Where's a dead wolf when you need one?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Wooooooo!! </p>
<p>Hi babes!! </p>
<p>Soooo we got Chapter 4 and it's a short ish Chapter. I was gonna peel off into C5 but then I'd have to write a whole other Chapter just cos I promised twelve Chapters, and, really, that's too much math 😭</p>
<p>So take care of yourselves this week, it's nippy out so wrap up warm and snug. Triple sockage. </p>
<p>Love youuuuus 💜</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>While I could always out climb Jacob, he could always out run me. And yet... He didn't know who I was.</p>
<p> "Come on down, pup. Don't make me have to come getcha." He folded his arms at the base of my tree, eyes only on mine. </p>
<p> I didn't say a word, kept my eyes in shadow. As long as he doesn't know my eyes match John's, I'll be okay. I sat back against the tree, my leg swinging beneath me. </p>
<p> "The longer you drag this out, the worse it's gonna be."</p>
<p> I decided to mock him, my lips moving with very little sound as I copied him word by word, my chin tipping from side to side.</p>
<p>He scoffed, raising his eyebrows. "Do you even know who you're fucking with here, kid?" </p>
<p> I mocked him again, my legs swinging happily, the heel of my boot tapping the trunk. </p>
<p>He muttered something too quiet for me to pick up and mock. "Look, pup. You playing these childish games are jus gonna piss me off even more. Now, my brother, <em> the Father, </em> wants all the woman brought to him <em> alive, </em> but that doesn't mean you have to be fully intact." He smirked up at me in the dark, sliding his red (?) handgun off his hip. "So get down here, and we'll talk, or I'll come up there and you'll lose a limb." </p>
<p> Yup, yup. Okay. That's fair play to him.</p>
<p> "Okay." I mumble quietly, shifting in the tree. He nods, crossing his arms again and waiting as I start to climb down easily. I keep my voice low. 26 years is a long time but my voice may be clear to him. "I just wanted to get away." </p>
<p> "And throwing a dead wolf at me was an excellent start. You've got gumption, pup. I'll get a lotta use outta you." </p>
<p> I paused, my leg dangling down, still out of reach. </p>
<p>And then I dropped the rock. </p>
<p>It fell near slow motion, and I didn't stop to look. I heard the *thwak*, and I let go of the tree, hitting the dirt, and legging it into the forest.</p>
<p>I knew I wasn't as fast as him, and when five minutes had gone, and nothing, no yells, no pounding boots, I started to worry. There were wolves in this here forest. They wouldn't care who he was to me or to them, blood is blood. </p>
<p>Wait, Jos. This guy's a murderer but he's my brother. He protected us and now he'll die alone and... I gotta. Fuck, I gotta do something!! Else!! Not involving clobbering with boulders. </p>
<p>I spun around angrily, and smacked right into...Matchstick?</p>
<p> "Where the fuck have you been? Jacob is gonna be furious!" He grabbed my upper arm and tossed me to the dirt, wrapping the tongs around my throat before another matchstick ran up and chained my wrists behind me. With three fresh wolves, there was no point in fighting, but there was something else. </p>
<p> "Jacob is down. I threw a rock at him. I can take you to him but I think he's unconscious. We gotta help." </p>
<p> A long, tired sigh filled the quiet of the forest, and Po...Jacob strolled out from behind a tree, a hastily applied bloody bandage across his brow.</p>
<p> "No need, pup. I'll admit, that was quite a surprise."</p>
<p> I was yanked back on my knees against somebody behind me, the wolves calmly watching from the side. A light flickered on, battery operated, and was tossed to the dirt beside Jacob. </p>
<p>He crouched ahead of me. I kept my eyes down.</p>
<p> "An just <em> where </em> did you come from?"</p>
<p> I replied with a twinge of dignity, as much as I could muster from the situation I was in. "I'm nobody. On my way out of this shitpile." </p>
<p> "Ehhuh..." A large rough hand wrapped around my chin, yanking my gaze up to the light. His eyes were entirely on mine, flickering between the two. Jacob snapped his fingers and the light was passed. He brought it right up to me, until all I could see was dancing white. </p>
<p> He hummed, tossing the light behind him, and grabbed my collarbone. I knew where he was going. </p>
<p>How I <em> wish </em> I coulda removed it. </p>
<p>The tong was snapped open, and his sweaty hand was around the back of my neck. </p>
<p>To the scar we all shared. The S. For Seed. For SHIT father.</p>
<p>The doubt left his eyes to be replaced by absolute certainty, and Jacob let out a long, exhausted sigh, I could feel it in my toes. He rested his forehead against mine and held tightly onto the back of my neck when I tried to squirm away. </p>
<p> "Do you know how long I've looked for you?" He asked me, shaking his head against mine. "Do you even know who I am, Josie?" </p>
<p> I give up trying to squirm, the heavy breathing of the wolves beside us taking away my final out. "Yeah... Pop." </p>
<p> A breath of cool air skims the surface of my brow as he pulls away to look at me. I stare warily back, suddenly tired. "Pop? Been a fucking life since I've heard that nickname ya gave me." He sat back on his heels. "So you <em> knew </em> and you still tried to run." </p>
<p>It wasn't a question, that was clear.</p>
<p> "Hell, you coulda fucking killed me back there, Jos. Ya know better." He stood up in one brisk movement, grabbing the radio off his hip and bringing it to his lips. "Joe, yea. ... Look, I got her. She tried to run her ass off and she clouted me with a rock but... ... " Jacob suddenly laughed out loud, dragging his fingers through his scalp. "...Yea, yeah. That sounds about right. Okay, meet at the ranch in two hours. Grab a hold of Johnny, would ya? I gotta get her to the truck and it's getting light out. ... Sure. Triple protection either side, jus the one helico... ... Fucking fine, Joe. Two helicopters. Yea... ... Okay, speak soon. Out." </p>
<p> He hooked the radio on his hip, staring out into the forest. It pained me how much I recognised that stance. I imagine I'll be in more pain soon enough with the agony of fresh memories coming my way. </p>
<p>To see them all again... Would they look the same as they did before I came here? Just, like, stretched out versions? Am I like that? Jacob was easier. He's all scarred and military, less hair, but he's basically the same. </p>
<p> "Hey..." A thumb gently brushes a tear away from my muddy cheek. I didn't even realise... "...It's alright, pup. Mmnot mad. I get it." He fully tossed the neck tongs aside, lifting me by the arm. My ribs flinched angrily at the sudden tug. "I missed you, ya know. You may have started it, but I ended it." </p>
<p> Jacob pecked me on the brow, his beard new and scritchy. He led me away through the forest, seemingly aware of the right direction to go in. </p>
<p> "Do I have to see em?" I questioned, glancing over my shoulder at his men guarding our asses. </p>
<p> "Who, your brothers? Yea, I fucking bet. Hell, John's your twin." He glanced down at me, that eyebrow of his raised up high. "Don'tcha want to?" </p>
<p> I smirked, no intent behind it, trying to blow the cobwebs away. "Haven't seen them since..." </p>
<p> "Yeah..." He sighed heavily, eyes lost in the dark forest ahead of us. "...I know, Jos. That day haunts me. It's been a lifetime, and you might not like what we've become but sooner or later, you'll know who you belong to." </p>
<p>I bumped my hip into his thigh (height difference is a bitch), and he chuckled softly, holding a hand up to his men who came charging along like rapid ducks. "That's not reassuring, Pop. We might be siblings but I lost all of you when I was a kid. I'm 32 now, I have my own life. I've done what was needed but I need to move on." </p>
<p> "Right. What made you come here, pup?" </p>
<p> I thought back to that night. </p>
<p>Restless sleep. </p>
<p>Destruction. <br/>Fire. <br/>Acceptance. <br/>Death.</p>
<p>And all of it... <br/>It doesn't matter now.</p>
<p>What's done is done.</p>
<p> "I dunno." I lied, suddenly gripping at that glove I'd shoved in the back of my pants pocket. "I dunno." </p>
<p> "You miss us?" </p>
<p> "More than you'll ever know." </p>
<p> Jacob stopped, brushing his whiskers against my brow. He spat to the forest floor right after. "You're filthy. Gotta get ya cleaned up, Jos. We'll hit my office before the ranch, alright?" </p>
<p> An unwanted smiled teased my lips, I tried to cram it back down again but Pop saw it, the skin at the edge of his eyes crinkling.</p>
<p> "I like that smile. What's up?" </p>
<p> "You remember that night? The last one we were together?" </p>
<p> "Sure, yea." </p>
<p> ""Gotta get ya cleaned up, Josie. Winter's comin, your muddy toes will drop off."" I replied, word for word on one of the final things he said to me that night. </p>
<p>His clear blues, filled with warmth, settled on mine, and he pulled me into his chest. The familiar heavy scent and comfort I had missed so long ago... It was all I could do not to dampen his shirt with my tears. </p>
<p>It helped that he dampened my hair with his.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. You're too late to be mad.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jos spends time with her murderific biggest brother.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hellooooo!!! </p>
<p>How are weeeeees?? Just catching up this week, it has been all go. I accidentally wrote two Chapters for two fanfics and put them in the wrong draft folder 😅 That would have been batshit to publish. I couldn't stop laughing. So I took yesterday off because I was bonkers. </p>
<p>I'm gonna catch up on comments today, it's lovely to have people comment a lot here. People don't comment as much anymore on Jade. I love each and every one 😁 </p>
<p>Take care of yourselves!! See you next week 😘</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I was led through the forest carefully but adamantly. Everyone was tense. </p>
<p>Apart from Pop, who talked non-stop about his life.</p>
<p>About juvie and how it didn't take him long to be top dog. Apparently, you just have to strangle the current top dog to the point of near death, then threaten his family with baseless torture. </p>
<p>About joining the military, or being forced to. He was an ace sniper. Knew that the front of the skull was a tiny fraction of a challenge to destroy with a bullet at high speeds compared to the throat. He made it his own, ripping out the neck from a distance. Jacob said it was more theatrical. More memorable. The rare few that survived it suffered more because of it. </p>
<p>And not for long because he would surely hunt them down in any cave they had buried themselves in and finish the job, face to face. </p>
<p>Knife to throat, depending on their crime. Otherwise, it would be slower. </p>
<p>He was proud of that.</p>
<p>I gaped up at him. It was unusual that I still saw him as a 16 year old. Fresh faced, tired but content. A smile from him was rare but was as real as the tight hug he crushed you with before Oey would take your hand, tuck you in, and sing you to sleep. </p>
<p>When he told me about eating a man to survive, I stopped walking. Falling to my knees, hands behind my back, I threw up what little I ate on the spot. </p>
<p>He let me drink from his canteen, swirl and spit, and we carried on. A little paler than he was. A little emptied. </p>
<p>A little sister to a cannibal. </p>
<p> "It's okay..." Jacob said reassuringly. "...It's a one time thing. Nowadays, I carry a power bar, just in case." </p>
<p>...? At least he could joke about it, I guess?</p>
<p> Thankfully, his home, a large broken down veteran's centre came into view, and I couldn't ask him what another human being tasted like. </p>
<p>When we came up to entrance, the stench was unbelievable. Flies roamed the skies. Wolves teetered at the edges. Screams were unusually non-existent, which was surprising with all the filled cages with humans stacked up in them. </p>
<p> A man at the entrance with roving eyes ran up and asked if I needed to be strip searched. </p>
<p>I kicked him in the knee. </p>
<p>Jacob slit his throat.</p>
<p>While the blood dribbled down our clothes, Jacob suggested he use my shower. He'll post guards. </p>
<p> "Can you guard? I'll just be a minute." </p>
<p> "Yea, sure, kid. I'll grab you some clothes." </p>
<p>He ordered his men back to their posts. Arms folded across his chest, the idea that he was menacing, despite the blood that dotted his entire being, simply didn't exist. </p>
<p>This man was my brother. </p>
<p>And yes, the last time he had loved me was when I was 6 years old and could climb up and nestle on his chest whenever I was feeling affectionate, but that was still me. And Jacob, who had tended to grumble and order me down to the dirt, despite keeping his hand at my back, was still Pop.</p>
<p>As he was ordering his men to "Disperse the prisoners to the appropriate Heralds, kill if needed." my eyes dropped to the muddy mess that I was, the failure of my mission. </p>
<p>Just like all those times I had tried to run as a child, Jacob would <em> always </em> catch me.</p>
<p>A thick finger, like a sausage, coiled under my eyesight and cuffed my chin up. "You alright there, trouble?" Pop asked, his eyes, heavily affectionate, yet with the gentle brush of blood against them like eyeliner... </p>
<p> "Is this my life now?" I pushed the question to him, my bottom lip curiously quivering. </p>
<p>He sighed softly, his gaze drifting away to the many cages that dotted the entrance. "Doesn't have to be. I can keep you away from all of this shit." He dropped his arm across my shoulder. "But you're gonna see death, Jos. Nothing I can do about that." </p>
<p> Yea, I know, Pop. <br/>I know.</p>
<p> "Come on. Stay by me, ya hear? These men don't know you. They will, but I'm gonna leave that to Joe." He started to lead me through the broken double doors. </p>
<p> "I thought you were in charge."</p>
<p> He nodded, grabbing the back of my neck, his fingers carefully brushing my scar, and lead me up the stairs. "I am. Sort of. We're split up. I'm in charge of security, training etcetera. The North is my patch. Johnny, he's to the South West, he's in charge of Atonement, Baptisms, although Joe does take over to teach John on occasion..." </p>
<p>I was uncuffed suddenly. Jacob took my hands into his, blowing into his cupped hands to seemingly warm mine up. "...Now be good. John's in charge of lawyer shit, too, he made the majority of the money. Adopted sister BS babies the drugs to the East." Pop grabbed my hand, dragging me along to a room further along. </p>
<p>He opened the door to a large, well made log bed. Fine fur, most likely real, lay across the thick blankets. A fireplace in the corner warmed up the room, and that's where he placed me, plonking me down on a well worn armchair. </p>
<p>He made his way back to his front door, locking the many locks that took up the wooden frame. </p>
<p> "Pop, what's...?"</p>
<p> "Precautions, pup. Gotta teach. Besides. .." He double bolted and padlocked the final lock. "...I know you were an escapee when you were 6 years old, fuck knows what you're like now you're 32."</p>
<p> I laughed, surprising myself. I wasn't <em> quite </em> the same, but yeah.. I was always tryin to get away from something. </p>
<p> "Alright, good." Jacob muttered to himself. He turned to me, fisting a hand through his hair. "You need to be fed? We got 20 minutes before we have to go."</p>
<p> I nodded, trying not to look too needy.</p>
<p>Jacob disappeared into a separate room to the side, and a gush of water was heard. He popped out, heading to a wardrobe against the wall. "Alright. Get your ass in that shower, Jos. Towel on the rail. You've got ten minutes. I'll make us a sandwich."</p>
<p> I made my way carefully to the bathroom, surprised by how nice the bathroom was. Plain but expensive. </p>
<p>Turning to Jacob, I watch as he made his way to a tall, thin cupboard. Opening it, it was a fridge!! I'd never seen anything so fancy before. </p>
<p> I jumped when he caught sight of me. "Oi, shower now. You've only got ten minutes." </p>
<p> "It's just..." </p>
<p> "Yeah?" </p>
<p> "It's just nice to have fresh food." </p>
<p> Pop stopped, dropping meat and lettuce on the counter. He frowned, walking slowly towards me like I was wild. "Josie, where have you been sleepin?" </p>
<p> "Streets, mostly. Got kicked out when I was 14, and I just... Ran." </p>
<p> "You lived on the streets? For how long exactly?" </p>
<p>I leaned against the door frame, flinching when my ribs got yanked by the movement. "I told you, I got kicked out when their teenager started getting handsy. It doesn't matter." </p>
<p> "The fuck...?! Jos, what makes you think that that doesn't matter? My kid sister <em> does not </em> live on the streets. Do you know how dangerous that is?!" </p>
<p> Well, shit on a stick. Cry me a fucking river. "Pop, I live on the streets. I lived in a trashed house, I learned that I am a lot more safe if I stink and don't look like a young woman. <em> I learned. </em> But you saying that I DON'T just because I'm your sister? Well, it's bullshit." I shrugged my muddy jacket off, the t-shirt ratty and pivotal in pointing out my skinny frame. "I survived. I tried to find jobs, I tried to find shelter, but nobody cares." </p>
<p> "I would have...!" Pop started to fight me on this, but there was no point. What matters forward, matters now.</p>
<p> "Jacob! <em> You weren't there." </em> I knelt to untie the stiff shoelaces. "Besides, I'm fine. I knew how to handle myself. There were... Fiddly situations, but I'm squirmy enough and I never stopped fighting. <em> You </em> taught me that!" I yanked at the four pairs of socks I wore to combat the cold, sighing softly in relief when my toes hit the edge of the bedroom carpet. </p>
<p>Been a fucking while. </p>
<p> "Now, may I <em> please </em> use your shower? I don't need to use it to know I'll love it." </p>
<p> Jacob nodded, huffing off back to the fancy fridge. </p>
<p>I slammed the door to, more than intended, and stripped off the many layers of me until I was just a skinny Josephine. I daren't look at the mirror as I knew what I looked like. </p>
<p>Years on the street are tough on the body. </p>
<p>Of course, I was never a beauty contestant. I went dressed like my pile of rags and people still looked me up and down. It became quite a horrific bother until I added more and more rags. </p>
<p>I think I looked a disaster, if I'm honest. It was my eyes. They brought people to me against any want that <em> I </em> had. </p>
<p>Everything else... Well, my body was bones against flesh. I have fine muscles on my biceps and a lightly toned stomach, though still a bit emaciated. </p>
<p>Basically, I needed food and good health. </p>
<p>Of course, that wasn't why I came here.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. You keep me but I don't know why.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Josie tries to prevent herself from becoming used to comfort.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hiiiiiii!!!</p>
<p>How are my lovelies? It's a bit chilly this week so wrap up warm and snuggly, triple sockage if you can. </p>
<p>I do wonder if I should continue this character in a different set of circumstances. Maybe even pop back to their childhood more often. What do you think? Her and John aren't the closest set of twins, maybe I could try to figure out why. Or more adventures with Pops. Time spent with Oey and his new headaches that scared her. I worry that it'll be a little sad, though.</p>
<p>Anywhos!! Let's charge into this new week of pesky rules and knowitall dumbasses 💜💜💜</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The water was... Fuck. It was heaven. I made it as hot as I could as I had too much dirt to wash away. Usually, I was so clean, I stayed on top of it, but I had to <em> rush </em> here. I was an absolute state. </p>
<p>It didn't matter at the start, but... Well, I guess I didn't expect to just meet them ever again. How is that even possible? </p>
<p>Is it right... that I get this gift? </p>
<p>Is it a gift? They're kinda murdery. At least, Jacob is.</p>
<p>Yes, yes it is. I have to accept that. I claw my nails down my stomach just to feel it. I accept that.</p>
<p>I'm in a hot shower, they might even have a bathtub! I accept it. You did good... Pup.</p>
<p>I smile, tears collecting and adding salt to the rushing water. </p>
<p>It's been the majority of my life. Three family members, three older brothers... Hell! Even a twin. </p>
<p>What is he even like? We had mirror blue eyes, he was skinny too, and pale. Oni latched onto Oey while I latched onto Pop. </p>
<p>Why didn't we latch onto each other? </p>
<p>Sure, we held hands, and we slept in the same bed for warmth, but that was for, like, convenience. </p>
<p>I doubt he even recognises me. I think back to that billboard. The one about confirmation? Or confirming?? I don't know. It's like I see myself but only because I'm looking. The eyes are exactly the same, but his smile isn't nearly real. It's cruel and devious, plus he's ... Hated?? </p>
<p>Fuck, I get disliked and spat on on the regular but hate? </p>
<p>Does he hate?</p>
<p>Maybe I should try to run. I can only make this worse. I make everything worse. I did what I had to do, I know they're okay. I can leave now!! </p>
<p>Plus, I had a wonderful showe...</p>
<p> A heavy knock to the door. "You alright in there?" </p>
<p>I spit out the hot water collecting in my mouth. "Yea, has it been ten minutes?" </p>
<p> "It's been half an hour, Jos. Get your ass out and eat something." I stepped shakily out onto the fluffy bathmat, my toes in heaven. </p>
<p> "I told Joe we'll be late... Shit. Look, we can't get in contact with John. Joe is looking out for him." </p>
<p> I peeked up from the soft caress of his heated towel. "What?? You think he's alright?" </p>
<p> "Sure. He does this crap sometimes. There are areas he disappears to. I've got John's men covering some, Joe and his men have the other hotspots. We've got time to feed ya." </p>
<p> I barely took in the end of his sentence, so warm and snuggly in this incredibly soft towel. Or maybe every towel is soft to me now? </p>
<p> "Okay, Pop. I'll jus... Wait..." I toe at my muddy clothes. "...Can I borrow your clothes, Jacob?" </p>
<p> A deep sigh was heard followed by footsteps leading away from the door. "Two minutes, food's getting cold."</p>
<p> I thought it was sandwiches? I ruffled what was left of my hair, then worked on my body, gasping when I hit my ribs. Probably cracked. If he wasn't dead already... I avoided the mirror. I knew what lived inside of it.</p>
<p>Wrapping myself up in the damp towel, I nudged the door open. </p>
<p>The air was thick with gravy... And dumplings!!! And MEAT, there was... "Oh fuck!!" </p>
<p> It was his dumpling stew!! He used to make this. Only... "Jacob??" I couldn't. .. I didn't know where he was, I just had to... To... A grabbed a fork and stuck it into a plump piece of meat. It was so tender, so tender. </p>
<p>-27 years ago -</p>
<p> "Here, pup. Take it easy. Don't gobble too fast, you'll barf." </p>
<p> My lip was split. I tried to help him, I really did. My cut hurt so bad and Oey couldn't fix it. He tried. We all try today. Usually, I'd bite my lip and that stopped the sobs, but... But...Instead, he just let me cry. He hug, he hug so hard that he cried, too.</p>
<p>Pop had scooped me up, thumbing the stupid tears away. He set me down at the table, and Oey had sat beside me. Oni crawled into his lap, leaning across with his head on my shoulder, and I sobbed again when my tongue naturally flickered out at Oni.</p>
<p>A large hot metal tub thing hit the centre of the table. You <em> mustn't </em> touch it. Pop began dipping our bowls in, spreading the food out in front of us, and he dropped down heavily beside me making me giggle as I bounce in my chair. </p>
<p>Oey said Grace, short and calming. Thank you for family. For finding us food. For love. Forever.</p>
<p>Amen.</p>
<p>I couldn't eat. It was too hot. My sobs were the only noises outside of eating. Oey went to help, always putting his needs before others, but Pop shooed him away. </p>
<p>I thought I was in trouble.</p>
<p>I usually was.</p>
<p>But no.</p>
<p> "Small hunks, Jos. Like this... You see?" He stabbed a tiny piece with my fork, and carefully dodged my lip and placed it on my tongue. "Atta girl. Nice and slow." He started to collect other bits of meat, a chunk of dumpling, a sliver of yucky carrot.</p>
<p>"Here, pup.<br/>Take it easy."</p>
<p> -Present day- </p>
<p>I jumped a foot when Jacob's hand rested on my bare shoulder. I was holding a fork, but like a weapon. </p>
<p>Like he was gonna hurt me.</p>
<p> "Pop?"</p>
<p> His lips were moving but my head was fuzzy. I couldn't take it in. It was just noise and wetness down my cheeks. </p>
<p>I felt like I was falling. </p>
<p>-Jacob-</p>
<p>She'd passed out, for fuck's sake.</p>
<p>He rolled her skinny frame into his arms and rested her down on his bear rug near the fire.</p>
<p>He called on Joe, avoiding the reason why, and just askin for another hour or two. Of course he knew something was up, Jacob was usually on time, but Joseph avoided asking, thank fuck. A layer of trust they'd had to work up to.</p>
<p>Johnny hadn't appeared yet. It could be many things with him. Always disappearing fuck knows where with a scribbled note, sometimes just an wide open front door. He'd usually appear after a day or two, a missing person report following Johnny closely. </p>
<p>But this was important. He had to be brought back. </p>
<p>He needed her.</p>
<p>His sister. Fuck, his Josie. </p>
<p>It felt like his entire life looking for her, and here she'd come to him on her own. But she was frail, malnourished...</p>
<p>
  <em> Weak. </em>
</p>
<p>No. No, she'd made her way here, to him. Even in this condition. <em> She was strong. </em> </p>
<p>His little shadow. </p>
<p>He could feel her ribs through the thickness of the towel. She must be exhausted. He scooped a bowl of liquid up, forking a few small hunks of meat and veg, and carefully knelt on the edge of his rug.</p>
<p> "Hey..." Jacob licked his thumb, and pushed it across her eyelid. Her hand snapped out and smacked him on the arm. </p>
<p>Good, it was just a faint. He placed the bowl to the side and lifted her up to a sitting position against his mantle. "...You done? We jus gotta get you strong again, Jos."</p>
<p>She swore viciously, trying to roll off the rug with her eyes closed and no sense of anything around her. Jacob simply grabbed her waist, firmly keeping her steady. "Enough. You need subsidence. Open up." </p>
<p> "I'm not a child anybody, Pops. I got it." She snapped angrily, a frail hand smacking out in his direction again. </p>
<p> "Stop it, Jos. The malnutrition fucks with your head. Let me feed ya." </p>
<p> "I'm not a...!"</p>
<p> "Josephine." Jacob warned, his baritone voice low and steady.</p>
<p>It worked when they were kids.</p>
<p>Hell, she even had the same pout. </p>
<p> "Fine." Jos muttered, her pale cheeks attempting to flush pink. </p>
<p>He smirked, grabbing the fork and scraping away the heavy ingredients, allowing the meaty liquid to spill to the edge. He tipped the warm bowl to her chapped lips, and she stubbornly stared while he let her drink. </p>
<p> "Atta girl. You know how you managed all this way when you were this weak?" Jacob questioned, slicing a chunk of dumpling into two then sliding it onto her tongue. </p>
<p> She chewed softly, her azure eyes half drooping. Ah shit. Maybe she can sleep in the truck, get some more rest after reuniting with his younger brothers. </p>
<p> "Adrenaline?" </p>
<p> He smiled warmly. "That's right, kid. You remembered." </p>
<p>A small nod and Jos nipped another piece of meat off the fork. "Can I feed me now? I'm not mini me anymore. I'm just a little..." </p>
<p> "Malnourished?"</p>
<p> She flinched when she shifted, Jacob's keen eyes caught it. "I'd kill that fuck twice if I could." He spoke steadily, his imagination already flicking the blood off his blade. </p>
<p>A clammy hand grabbed at his, causing him to return to her. "I know, Pops. You're still that teenager who would look after us." </p>
<p> He brought her hands to his, rubbing them to warm them up. "And you're still my stubborn, pain in the ass shadow." </p>
<p> He chuckled when she grinned up at him. Shit, she really did look the same. Especially now. Unhealthy and tired, she was shrunken. It hurt him to see that little chubby cheeked scamp so damn pathetic.</p>
<p>Jacob placed the warm bowl in Josie's hands, ordering her to eat, and left her behind to find the feminine shit that she required.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. I'll only let you down again.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Josie makes her way through the horrors of mistaken identity.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hiya!!!!</p>
<p>And how are we, lovelies?? A week before Christmas, and I have to say the next Chapter has literally nothing to do with the upcoming holiday 😅</p>
<p>We're squirming out of comfort this week. Our Jos is still ridden with guilt on a memory that has yet to be shown. The other memories about her father sure nudged her in that direction but it's not what causes her to break this way. </p>
<p>So, enjoy and have a wonderful fucking week, whatever you're doing 💜</p>
<p>*MWAH* 😘</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>-Jos-</p>
<p>I needed to leave.</p>
<p>I needed to but I didn't want to. </p>
<p>What mattered was that they were <em> alive. </em> </p>
<p>Goddamn, I missed them. I wasn't meant to follow them, though. They'd chosen this violent path for a reason yet unclear. </p>
<p>I knew my path, and it was nasty and exhausting but... Maybe it had a future where people weren't in cages. I wasn't going to stick to my brothers' future. </p>
<p>I was meant to let them down. </p>
<p>Damn fuckin... I was so tired. Just gotta make it to a random cabin, or even a fucking tree to sleep in. I'll just remain on the streets, but I'm not going back there. There were no jobs in Georgia. No brothers. No end to Josie Seed.</p>
<p>Maybe I'll head to a small town, settle in. Know the locals. Get a job. Pop out a kid. </p>
<p>Etcetera. </p>
<p>As long as I knew my brothers were alive, they could do what the fuck they wanted.</p>
<p>I hopped up... Urgh, at least I can pretend I did. It was a lot of shuddering, gasping, cursing up a fucking storm. </p>
<p>I raided his wardrobe. It was about what I expected with all the greens and browns and blacks. Even with little money as kids, Jacob usually found a way to get what he wanted. Through threat or theft.</p>
<p>Stealing a black pair of Jacob's shorts that skimmed my mid calves, I tossed on a plain green jumper and squeaked when the shorts simply dropped down to my ankles. </p>
<p>Okay, maybe I have lost a bit of weight. </p>
<p>A belt, I need a belt. I ran to his drawers, and rifled through, popping open a new pack of man panties and yanking them up, crushing my thighs together before tying a knot at the edge to try to keep them up. </p>
<p>No belt, though.</p>
<p>The drawer below had more manly accessories, and the belts were rolled up neatly like coiled leather snakes. The fresh scent of it all was sure to burn away my nose hairs. Not even pretty ones! </p>
<p>See, <em> this </em> is why he needed me. </p>
<p>I have taste. </p>
<p>Wrapping the belt into my waist to keep the shorts up, I went to toss on a pair of socks and my gritty boots, then scurried to head out the window like a rat. I looked back at his quarters. The hot meal waiting for us, the fire warm and cosy, the pure echo of Jacob Seed in every corner. If we were rich and loved as children, this is how he woulda lived. </p>
<p>I'll miss him. But he's okay, they all are. </p>
<p>I stifled a sob, stuffing his long jumper sleeve in my mouth. I did what was needed. </p>
<p>I love you, Pops. </p>
<p>Stiffly opening the window, I take a deep, shuddering breath, knowing that they'll try to find me, but I can be invisible. I spent the majority of my life like that. I edge around the outside of the building and pop in on a window to the familiar hallway.</p>
<p>The hallway is dark, the first light of the day barely reaching. It's colder out here, it stinks of wet dog. I hear music in the background. Familiar but tasteless. I walk casually, lost already, and find a staircase going down into harsh light. </p>
<p>When I reach the bottom, I near jump out of my shorts again.</p>
<p> "Oh hey there. Are you one of Brother Jacob's whores?" An elderly woman in a white apron pops out from behind a door, the thick smell of gravy following in her wake.</p>
<p> What?! Do I fucking... I look down at myself dressed in men's clothing. <em> Jacob's </em> clothing. </p>
<p>But I'm his sister!! Urgh...Gross!! What has he been....URGH...Oh!! They don't know he has a sister?! Okay, I can work with this.</p>
<p> "He said I could go for a cigarette?" </p>
<p> She nods towards a glass door further along, past a stack of boxes marked with various ingredient businesses. "Right out there. Don't go too far." </p>
<p> I nod stiffly. I will never tell anybody ever. Urgh. </p>
<p>URGH.</p>
<p>It's okay, they're human but... <em> Urgh. </em></p>
<p> "Thank you. Did you make that beef stew, by the way? It was delicious." </p>
<p> The woman brushed faintly, brushing invisible crumbs off her apron. "I tried to, usually I'm the one in charge, but Jacob grabbed the meat. It was already cooking for something else, he just finished it off." She smiled shyly, glancing up at the stairs behind us. "Brother Jacob doesn't cook as well as I do." </p>
<p> I smiled warmly, holding her frail hands in mine. "It was a beautiful meal." </p>
<p> She beamed at that, swinging her arms lightly. "Thank you, dear. He doesn't usually bring home girls as nice as yourself."</p>
<p> Urgh.</p>
<p>I smile again, a little tense, and start to the exit. </p>
<p>I guess I'm a little twitchy because I jump again when she calls out. "Hey! Wait." She disappears into the room she came from, dashing out a moment later with a small loaf of fresh, warm bread. "Eat this, dear. You're too thin and you'll need your stamina." </p>
<p> ...</p>
<p>For escaping. She meant for escaping. I hope she doesn't blush herself to death if she ever finds out who I am. </p>
<p> I take the loaf gratefully. It has been a long time since fresh bread. A quick peck to her wrinkly cheek, and I leave the warmth, closing the door quietly behind me as I exit to the cold, harsh life I was already used to. </p>
<p>Jacob's cheesy cherry red truck. Did he mean to park it so perfectly by the exit? I shuffle in my pockets, picking nothing up and putting it to my lips, just in case she's watching. There's nobody else here. Just me, the fireflies, the rising sun, the groans of pain... </p>
<p>The roar of Jacob. </p>
<p>Oh fuckydoo. </p>
<p>I sprint, my knees trembling with each step, and slam into the side of Jacob's truck, yanking the door open. People of many red masks are starting to look over, some even reaching for their weapons at their hips.</p>
<p>That's when something hot hits me in the upper bicep. </p>
<p>I cry out, groaning and throwing myself across the front seats. With a risky peek, I see the lovely older woman, with a handgun pointing at me. </p>
<p>Her mood certainly changed quickly enough. </p>
<p>-Jacob-</p>
<p><em> "Where is she?!" </em> He roared, jumping in large leaps down the stairs. He roared again when he heard the shot, following it past the kitchens and kicking the glass door down as he charged into the cold night. </p>
<p>The fucki... Jacob snarled, whipping the gun away and slamming it into the wall behind the foolish cook. It took all he had not to hit her with it. </p>
<p>He ignored the scream and focused on his red truck quickly heading down the drive, a smear of fresh blood on the cracked window. Leaping the fence, he charged through the curious crowd that had begun to form, ordering everybody to stand down. </p>
<p>When the truck reached the end of the driveway, he realised he wasn't even mad, he would do the same damn thing except they'd be more bodies tossed about. </p>
<p>But with her malnutrition, blood loss could kill her. </p>
<p>Jacob reached the side of his truck, grabbing the handle and ... Empty. </p>
<p>He hopped in, reaching for the handbrake. The trail of blood led out the other side. She couldn't have gone far on...</p>
<p>The alarm went off. Piercing and direct, this was the only time it had gone off since he had installed it. </p>
<p>Because no one in their right mind would <em> dare </em> to free Jacob's wolves. </p>
<p>-Jos-</p>
<p>It wasn't like there was a big button that said "Free me!", but there was a key hanging up beside a switch that had a strip of cardboard with the words</p>
<p>"Don't fucking touch.<br/>Jacob." </p>
<p> I didn't fully know what it would do. It was probably 80% confidence and about 2 minutes of Pops not knowing where I was. A total fuck job. </p>
<p>This entire week was a fuck job. </p>
<p>So I did it. But not before grabbing a bucket of ...Questionable meat and tossing it from the direction I had just come from. </p>
<p>The reaction was immediate. I knew the one person that mattered would be safe in his truck by now, and honestly, it was just to distract them enough so I could free as many people as I could. There wasn't a key for that, but there was plenty of guns and ammunition stacked up against the wall. Almost like a mocking test for anybody who dared to try.</p>
<p>Well, I could try. </p>
<p>I had, what, 5 minutes, max? I need two guns, oh shit, that's heavy... Fuck, four!! Four is not quite five. Yus!! Grab five. Nice round number and I couldn't carry anymore, I was too wiped. Bullets!! Bullets... Oh fuck! What bullets?? This is a handgun, I know that, and it's heavy, and it shoots people.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>That's not enough information!! </p>
<p> "Not those, to the left!" A soft, raspy voice from behind ordered.</p>
<p>I didn't even turn around, merely trailing my fingers until the voice ordered me to stop. </p>
<p>I grabbed a bunch of rattling boxes, stacking them messily in my arms, and twisted round to find a young, scarred woman in a lowered cage behind me. She was wearing a torn, muddy green jacket slung over her thin shoulders. Scars crisscrossed her pale features. </p>
<p>A lot of people were scarred around here, like Pops... Did I just ad...</p>
<p>I got caught out in my mind for too long when a clog of dirt hit my thigh. "Hey!! Wake the fuck up, we've got seconds!"</p>
<p> Right! "Right! Okay, yes..." I mumbled, clumsily handing her a gun and a box of bullets.</p>
<p> She takes them, neatly sliding a clip in. "Trust me just like that, huh?" </p>
<p> My mouth drops and I stare warily at her. She smirks, taking a step back. "Don't worry, babe. You wouldn't be so goddamn clumsy if you were one of them. Now step the fuck back." </p>
<p> I step the fuck back, nearly losing my footing when she shoots the lock away. </p>
<p>"Good." The stranger steps out, stretching her back to standing position with a grunt. She grabs another clip offa me, sliding it into the front of her jacket pocket. "Now, you ever killed a man?"</p>
<p> "...You just point n shoot, right?" </p>
<p> There's a flash of irritation, and she grabs all the guns off me, leaving me standing awkwardly with the bullets. "Just stay behind me, we gotta free who we can in the time you gave us." She nodded across the barren strip of dirt towards another lowered cage where a man with a beer belly was shaking the bars, trying to get our attention. "Give him a gun, that's Jerry. He can drive us outta here well enough. Everybody else will be weak as fuck with conditioning." </p>
<p> "And you?" </p>
<p> The glare she gives me makes me bury into myself a little. "I'm <em> fine. </em> Fucker Seed only had me for twelve hours max. My back is a bitch from the cage but I'm more badass than these prisoners are."</p>
<p> I nod vigorously and turn to scurry off to Jerry. Handing him a gun and a clip, he orders me to step back then shoots off his lock. "Thanks, love. Now go on and collect more guns. I'll order them to collect them off you, 'aight?" He looks me up and down, snatching a clip offa me. "You've been here a long time, huh? Jacob's personal pet?"</p>
<p> For fuck's sa. .. "No! I'm his..." My gaze scans the cages, men and women already being brought out with fucked up gait. "...His laundry person." </p>
<p> He doesn't believe me, it's obvious. I have to leave this place. "Right, love. Now go on and get, I'll start clearing the cages on my way to the truc. .." </p>
<p> A shuddering explosion from behind me shoves me to my knees, my jaw getting a smack from Jerry's boots while my ribs clatter painfully into the ammo still pressed against my chest. </p>
<p> "Shit, kid. A strong wind will knock you on your ass." Jerry, still standing, grabs my arm and tugs me back up again. "Just get yourself over to the truck and hand out the guns there. We'll take care of you, yea?" </p>
<p> I wobble on the spot. Fairly faint... Fuck. I'm making a right cock-up of this. I did what I needed but forgot about the rest of my life.</p>
<p>I nod to his continuous orders and make my way back to the guns, stuffing as many as I could into my scooped up Jacob jumper. I jump at the gunfire and the howling behind me, getting closer and closer, the handguns still at the wall rattling at their stations. </p>
<p>I gotta go. Even as a kid, Pops was the leader. Hell, he coulda been the youngest and he'd no doubt boss us about. </p>
<p>And he would always, <em> always </em> catch me.</p>
<p>-Jacob-</p>
<p>He was almost through it all. The blood of his efforts smeared across his body in steaks and dots. He had lost a few men, not many, but enough that'll he'd have to figure out how to punish his little brat of a sister. He really coulda done without his shit. </p>
<p>Not the shit about finding her, finally after all those fuckin lonely years, but her still being as much of a pain in the ass as she was as a kid, that would pull focus from what should of stolen it away. </p>
<p>Just her existence was enough to rock the foundation of their Project. Jacob refused to drug her, he refused to send his Judges, or what was left of them. She was already weakened by malnutrition, dehydration most likely. It wouldn't take a lot to knock her on her ass in the first place. </p>
<p>He gutted another young wolf, tossing it to the side like a doll, and took the final steps into the courtyard. </p>
<p>Fuckin course... The little rabbits were running. </p>
<p>And Jos, she was at the centre, dressed in his clothes that swarmed her slight frame, swayin on her feet. This little adventure had wiped her completely. That's fine. She'll get some rest once he locks her up with her brothers.</p>
<p>He runs. The sludgy, bloody mud beneath him nothing against his near graceful movements. Jos spots him first, he can feel her panic, and she slams her fist repeatedly against the edge of the truck. A few more rabbits, tender and fragile, run from their cages but Jacob ignores them. He ignores the bullets barely glancing in his direction. </p>
<p>These rabbits are not wolves. </p>
<p>He's closer now, every step a faster one. She's so close, hanging off the edge of the bed of the truck as it roars away from him. </p>
<p>She lifts her arm, metal flashing a warning sign in his wartorn mind. </p>
<p>She wouldn't. </p>
<p>
  <em> She daren't. </em>
</p>
<p>The pull of the trigger kills a part of him, but it's a threat. Nowhere close. A warning. </p>
<p> Stay the fuck away.</p>
<p> The truck is charging now, faster than him. He still runs, the mud now concrete beneath his boots. Jos mouths to him, her exhaustion obvious. "Love you, Pops." before she flops back against the metal bed. </p>
<p>Jacob stops, there's no way. They're at 40-50, and he can't shoot their tyres out when she's hanging loosely like that. He takes the full three seconds to catch his breath, and then he yanks his radio out, never ready to say his goodbyes.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Don't hurt them, hurt me.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Josie can't seem to lose her daft biggest brother. He's always had issues with taking a hint.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hiyyyyaaa!!! How we doing, pickles?? </p>
<p>So, I'll go with Merry Everything, and if you don't celebrate or if Christmas is a dick then you can just change it to "Merry Friday".</p>
<p>So Josie, Josie, pudding n pie is back up for another week. Seriously writing up a draft for an epilogue just to cover the edges in icing etc. I love writing about their past. It does feel like John would certainly cling to Joseph, and I guess I kinda wanted a tiny bundle of Jacob to cling to Jacob, no matter how difficult that would be for them all. John and Josie just seem so different. Chapters coming up soon, you'll see that. Hopefully 😅</p>
<p>Love to my cheese nips 💜</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>-Jos-</p>
<p>I'm so tired. I just wanna sleep. It's a combination of malnutrition, dread, pain, and pure fucking joy. </p>
<p>My body couldn't handle this. It's too much. </p>
<p>It <em> aches </em> to leave him, to leave <em> them. </em></p>
<p>But I'm not like them. When we left each other, forced to separate, we ...died, basically. The American adoption and foster care system was laughably terrible. There was no way in hell we were in that we'd find one another. Like, how is that even possible?</p>
<p>You're talking of possibilities, Jos? It was a dream that brought me here. It was an image that made me trek hundreds of miles, thousands?? Dunno. And you know, even with all the hard work put into that trip, even with all the shady bus drivers and having to chase a fucking train so I could hang off the back, eating out of dumpsters, and river water that made me barf, I still came at <em> exactly </em> the right time.</p>
<p>Don't fucking think there's not something else going on in the background. None of this is possible.</p>
<p>My eyes drift to the fluffy, albeit dramatic, clouds above. The first rays of the sun were trying to force themselves through. Fluff is invincible, it seems.</p>
<p>My legs swing out the truck with each little pebble that gets decimated. Stay awake... Stay...</p>
<p>-28 years ago-</p>
<p> "Come on, sweet Josephine. It's early and the birds sing with delighted fervour. Off to sleep now." </p>
<p>I climb up Oey's scrawny chest, settling with resting my cheek against his pokey collarbone cos the shoulder is just too high.</p>
<p>It's early, but soso cold, my toes will fall off if Oni doesn't sleep on them. </p>
<p> "Oey oey, what's... Where's Pops? He work soso much, can he not sleep too?" I question, my little fingers tugging at the thin blanket to cover up Oey. He skinny.</p>
<p> "Pops will be home when the warm sun makes its appearance. Better not to disappoint him by staying awake now, mhmm?" He shifts his arm, tugging at my hip. "Come on now, chicken. Oey is in charge and he says..."</p>
<p> I stamp my foot against his thigh. "No!! Pops said... He said that I am!! He says that I gotta be his second." I nuzzle against his chin, pushing hard with my toes to push him back against the headboard. "You sleep. <em> I'll </em> pro... Protrect!" </p>
<p> I can't see his face but I see it clear in my memory. He accepts. He accepts cos he's Oey and Oey accepts. I stamp my foot again.</p>
<p>Yes. </p>
<p>I'll protrect them.</p>
<p>-Present day-</p>
<p>Somebody kicks me in the head. "Wake up, we're here."</p>
<p> The sun burns away my retinas. "Here?" I mumble, draping my arm over my eyes. </p>
<p> "Yup, Fall's End. They've already taken the Pastor and Mary May... Fuck, everybody is gone..." There's a bang as the voice slides off the back of the truck. "...But it's all we got."</p>
<p> I close my eyes against the harsh daylight and scoot off the edge of the bed, stumbling when I hit the solid road. There's an arm wrapped around my shoulder, nudging me back to lean on the truck. </p>
<p> "Look, babe. I'll be honest. We can't take care of somebody else right now. Not while we're in this war." I blink my eyes open to the scarred woman, the pity in her eyes is too fucking much. "My name is Jess, what's yours?" </p>
<p> "Jo... Josie." </p>
<p> She smiles, her eyes leaving mine to scan the area. "Alright. I'm gonna give you a map. It leads to my uncle, okay? It's fairly fucking far, but you're smart, right? Just stay low, keep away from the fighting. You're strong enough to make it but we'll set you up with a handgun, ammo etcetera."</p>
<p> I shake my head, weirdly happy but massively ashamed at my dismissal. "I can..."</p>
<p> "No, you can't."</p>
<p> "But I..."</p>
<p> "No, Josie. I'll get my uncle on the line, he'll need help. Look. .." She grabs my arms, partly, I'm sure, to hold me up. "...You did a good thing today. You saved my ass, you saved all our asses..." Jess waves an arm towards the filthy people milling to the side. "...But we need to get Hope County back and we're starting here. You won't last long, babe. Keep in touch over channel 94.9 and we'll see if we can collect you once everything is settled." </p>
<p> "Jess..."</p>
<p> "Please! I need to be selfish here. You gotta go." She shoves a backpack into my arms. "You see this road? Head West, keep off the road but in sight of it, jus keep going along it until you hit the bridge across the river. It's quite far off. Dutch will meet you there, alright? He's fine, he knows what you did for us." </p>
<p> I mumble my thank yous, then pull her into a tight squishy hug. "Be safe, okay? Whatever happens... If we... Meet again in that fucking bunker they keep talkin about, I'll see ya there, yeah?" </p>
<p> She crushes me to her unexpectedly. "I don't know if I'll survive them, babe. This might be our final stand." </p>
<p> My tear gushes down against her jacket, coiling down the fabric. "...I'll help, best I can. Anybody who needs it. I promise."</p>
<p> Jess pulls away, brushing at my damp cheek. "I know it. Go on. I hear Jacob has sent his men across the border. You gotta go." </p>
<p> I nod pathetically, taking a shallow breath. I barely know her but she's everything I have here outside of people that'll lock me up jus cos of my blood. </p>
<p>Slinging the backpack across my back, I wave sadly to Jerry and the other people dotted about, and make my way along the road, disappearing off the edge into a ditch off the side. </p>
<p>I bumble along, my feet wibbly and trembling. The sleep helped a little, but I was still wiped out. I scoff, kicking at a grass verge with my boot, what am I complaining about? People are dying. </p>
<p>People are dying. </p>
<p>I stop dead, then turn back towards... Oh my... Oh no. No!! </p>
<p>-Jacob-</p>
<p>It was fuckin pathetic. They fell like flies. Himself and his men had arrived via the North East entrance, scanning the area for threats.</p>
<p>Not like they needed to. They were all bundled up in the middle of the town. The spotters were only just setting up. It only took him three orders and 87 seconds to knock them out. Silent Bliss smoke bombs and exactly seventeen Bliss darts and they were all his again. </p>
<p>It's a shame. He was proud of Jos for this, but she was way out of her league. Jacob walked the streets, a mask across his nose and mouth. He toed the few women laid out here, his men silently charging past him to tie up and store the prisoners to return to his... Care. One of his men turned the engine to the truck on quietly, an escape or a weapon as a backup.</p>
<p>She wasn't out on the street. He'd found the rat, Jess, but no sign of Josie. The flatbed was empty, the truck was, too. She's gotta be in these empty shells of burned out buildings.</p>
<p> He crossed his arms, eyes scanning the ruins. No movement, and no figures in the dissipating Bliss. </p>
<p> "Come on out!" Jacob yelled through his mask. "This is enough now." Nothing, no movement. "Tell ya what, Jos. All your little friends here will survive, you have my word. We'll dump them in John's Bunker. You'd like that?" </p>
<p> Nothing. The Bliss was barely floor level, so Jacob took off his mask and hooked it on his hip. He used his fingers to snap a direction towards his second in command.</p>
<p> Find. Don't harm. <br/>Imperative.</p>
<p>Silent orders were placed, his men splitting off into twos to search the nearby ruins and the local area. Jacob remained standing tall, dead centre of the town, eyes scanning the horizon.</p>
<p>Come on out, little shadow.</p>
<p>-27 years ago-</p>
<p> "Jos! I know it was you! Oey doesn't lie and Oni was playing with his plane, now get out here and face your punishment."</p>
<p> Nothing but the birds and the creaking of the swaying trees. </p>
<p> "Jos!!"</p>
<p> A tiny voice in the distance. "I don't wanna!"</p>
<p> Jacob rolled his eyes, perching on the edge of the wall that led to their forest. "It's not about what you want, it's about what <em> needs </em> to be done. Now get that ass of yours here, now!" </p>
<p> The voice had moved. She was always quick on her feet. Forever lost in the forest. "But he said..."</p>
<p> "You don't listen to father, you listen to me. You know that! Now, come. The punishment gets worse by the second." </p>
<p> "Okay."</p>
<p> Jacob jumped out of his skin. His kid sister had somehow made it out the forest, and was now standing behind him, scuffing the dirt with her tiny sneaker. Her bottom lip trembled in anticipation of her punishment, and she was already tugging at his ragged shirt edge to fiddle with.</p>
<p>One of the things he loved about her... She could always surprise him. His little shadow. Literally.</p>
<p>-Present day-</p>
<p>-Jos-</p>
<p>I had ta... I had to do... Fuck! What?? How did my brother end up as my villain?? </p>
<p>His men were carefully combing the ruins around me. I had made my way up to the top of a burned out double building opposite what used to be a bar or something? There'd been a ladder with the entire base broken and crooked, and now I was flat on my belly, peeking down at Pops and useless to help out my new friends laid out unconscious on the flatbed of the nearby truck. </p>
<p>I literally had nothing. </p>
<p>I had a gun. </p>
<p>No. No. I refuse. I had nothing. </p>
<p>I rustled silently through my backpack, moving each item carefully. Just an extra clip, a powerbar, an extra jumper, a radio, a clippy thing for rope shit? What am I, MacGyver?? </p>
<p>No. But Dutch might be. I roll quietly to the edge away from Pops, my lips pressed to the radio. If I could whisper silently, then my voice may be covered by the ruins still alight, and the humming of the truck.</p>
<p> "Dutch, Dutch... If you're there, please remain super quiet. This is Josie. Jess said she mentioned me? Jacob... He has her. I need you to create a diversion ASAP. North of the main town, the one with the bar? Not more than a mile away. Please, I can't help on my own."</p>
<p> Silence. Thank fuck. I remain at the edge, staring at the clouds above once more. Fully useless. </p>
<p>Fucking useless.</p>
<p> "Jooosie... I know you're around here, little shadow. Jus you n me, yea?" </p>
<p> I freeze, holding my breath. There's quiet boots imprinting against the rubble somewhere behind me, not quite beneath. A waft of black ash lifts up from below as the ruins begin to soften under my weight and I tremble as I imagine my death under this building. </p>
<p>It's death or Jacob. It's hell or home. </p>
<p>A tear rolls down my cheek. This shouldn't be a choice. </p>
<p>And it certainly shouldn't be this hard to choose.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Let me go. Please.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jos struggles with escape while her memories consume her. Also, there’s an orange.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, my darlings!!</p>
<p>Another year of fanfics and off we go, swearing and fucking up a storm. I can’t wait 😁 </p>
<p>Not quite finished the epilogues for this fic but I have a new device now so I’m hoping to just throw myself bodily in the pit of thesauruses. I have like 6 now!! Can’t they all just agree on the same damn thing?? </p>
<p>Anywhos, let’s fucking go!! Kick some ass etc Or the minimum of ass kicking which is basically just thinking about it. I nail that shit 😎</p>
<p>Love you, chickenbutts 🥰</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I stand, balancing my footing carefully, and glance over the edge at Pops. He catches sight of me immediately, a flash of relief and then irritation consumes him.</p>
<p>"Good." He sighs quietly. "Get your ass down here, and we'll go home." </p>
<p>I nod, a pout on my lips. Hopeless against him. Turning towards the ladder, I place my foot out and <em> stomp </em> down hard against the collapsing roof. I flail dramatically, yelling out Jacob's name, and flatten myself against the edge while the floor beside me simply disappears.</p>
<p>Jacob yells out, immediately rushing forward, and disappears directly beneath. I stick my hand over the lip and roll off the roof, painfully holding onto the edge and stuffing my boots into what remains of the outside of the building as I quietly make my way down. </p>
<p>Hitting the ground, that's when the explosion happens. </p>
<p>Bit of a bitch, I wanted to head that way. Guess we'll hit the wheel and head the other way. I charge through the rubble, the noise covered by the explosions and hop silently into the front of the truck. The matchsticks are charging out now, heading towards the explosion. I peek in the mirror towards the flatbed, my new friends still hogtied and unconscious. </p>
<p><em> "Josie!!" </em> </p>
<p>A blackened, bloody Jacob barrels through what's left of the entrance to the building, the ruin collapsing behind him. I squeak and slam the door shut, noise no longer a bother, and slam my boot down hard on the gas, jolting back against the seat when we shoot forward and shudder along the road. </p>
<p>I try not to look, but once again Jacob is in my sight. Running for me, always having to find me. </p>
<p>Apart from that one night, where I had to fight to find him, and he was still stolen. I sob as I turn from the mirror and focus on the road ahead of me. I can barely see through the tears. </p>
<p>Please don't let him find me again. Let me go, Pop. I'll jus let you down. </p>
<p>-Jacob-</p>
<p>"She's gone again. I've got my men searching, they should find her soon. She hasn't changed, Joe. She's still just as troublesome as she was back then. Wish we had her at the start of all this, we'd be done by now." Jacob spat out a wad of black dust. He'd had an impromptu shower with water bottles and a small stream to the North. But ash was harder to clean off when it was crammed down his throat.</p>
<p>He should know.</p>
<p>"You heard from John yet, Joseph?"</p>
<p>"No, brother. Just keep following our Josephine, I have faith you'll find her today. Just not a..."</p>
<p>"...Hair on her head, I know. My men know, too. As does John's." Jacob crouched down, leaning back against the rubble. He slugged back a swish of tepid water, spitting it out to the side. </p>
<p>"What is troubling you, Jacob?" </p>
<p>Jacob smirked, Joe and Jos were always tricky in how they knew how to do shit. </p>
<p>"I almost had her, Joe. <em> We </em> almost had her. Thing is, she don't want us anymore. She'd rather threaten her own life than enter ours again."</p>
<p>A soft sigh, the familiar sound of soft prayer came from his radio. "She needs time to see, brother. This is all so much. Had the Deputy not passed, we may not have been able to find her at all. God's plans may have changed, but you must see they have changed for the better."</p>
<p>Yea... Yeah. It always pissed him off, not being able to find her. But who the fuck would search the streets? Jacob could barely handle them himself. They all thought she was livin it up in some studio apartment shit, or... On bad days, they thought maybe she had... Passed. But starving in some hovel?</p>
<p>If he had known...</p>
<p>"Nobody could have seen this, brother." </p>
<p>"Fuck..." Jacob laughs suddenly. "...Get outta my head, Joe. Alright. I'm gonna find her. Keep trying to reach Johnny, this is his turf now."</p>
<p>-Jos-</p>
<p>Gogogogo!!! </p>
<p>Where??</p>
<p>Dutch!!</p>
<p>"Dutch!! You there, Jess relation??"</p>
<p>A rumbly voice growled out the radio. "Yea, kid. I'm guessin you're safe. Fuck... Gotta ask... but Jess?"</p>
<p>I glanced in the side mirror. People were still spread out, smacking into each other with each bump of the road but they were good.</p>
<p>"Yea!! Yeah. Thank fuck!" I leaned heavily against the massive steering wheel, completely tapped out. "They're gonna have a headache and a few extra bruises but they good." A burst of astonished laughter escapes me, along with a couple of tears and a fist pounding against the wheel. "They good!! I can't fucking... Okay, Dutch. I can't make it to the bridge with this, right? It's too fucking big. Where do I go?" </p>
<p>"Did our plan work? You heading South?" </p>
<p>"Fuck no. I'm headin..." I glance at the compass against the dash. "...West. Oh!! There's a sign!! Errrr.... Reservoir!!! Shit!! Yes!! You know where that is??" </p>
<p>There was a short, relieved laugh on the other end of the radio, it sounded louder when I <em> heaved </em> the wheel out and round to not at all make the corner. There was a loud bang behind as all the people rolled into each other. </p>
<p>I was kinda hoping I could pass off their new injuries on Pops.</p>
<p>I slammed on the breaks at the base of the road but still managed to knock out a tiny shed and some sort of metal garage? Whatever. Fucking whatever. </p>
<p>I fold like a napkin against the wheel, completely dead to the world. No, no. Not yet. You have a power bar. That'll... That'll save everything. I rustle through my backpack, grabbing at something I've never actually had before and tear off the wrapper with my teeth.</p>
<p>Oh goddamn. How is this even a food? I feel like a rabbit. Urgh the wrapper tasted better. I literally live on the streets and everyday has a better menu than this, maybe Jess is tryin to kill me. I painfully swallow the last bite, my ribs acting in self defence by trying to block the foulness. </p>
<p>That did not help. Now I was grumpy. </p>
<p>I frown at the empty wrapper, tossing the damn thing onto the passenger chair. </p>
<p>A gentle hum, soon to be angry and loud comes buzzing closer and closer. You better not be a bad guy, I will barf rabbit food on you. </p>
<p>I gingerly open the truck door, sliding off the seat and hitting the dirt with a pathetic stumble. </p>
<p>A tall, sixty ish year old man hops off his quad with ease, a hand at his hip. He's dressed partly in greens and looks pissed off. Except his eyes, which are kind and curious.</p>
<p>"Hey, kid. You with Jess?"</p>
<p>Oh thank fuckadoo.</p>
<p>"You got any food?" </p>
<p>He smirks, tipping his head to the side. "Yea, sure. It's a bit used but.." He shoves his hand into his pocket, pulling out a partly peeled orange.</p>
<p>Yus!! I bumble over to him, leaning against his quad and thanking him before cramming the entire orange, peel n all, into my mouth. </p>
<p>"Shit, kid. Johnny is really starving you round here, huh?" </p>
<p>I glance up at him, licking the yummy juice off my lips. "Yea, sorta. The resistance is on the truck. You've got bout two minutes before hell runs round that corner, so best get outta here. I'll hold em back." </p>
<p>He snorts, rubbing his beard. "You'll hold em back, huh? Kid, you can barely hold yourself up. Get in the truck." </p>
<p>"No! I have a plan! It's... Not brilliant but it'll work, I'm certain." I smile best I can, licking the juice and past burnt up buildings off my fingers.</p>
<p>"Come on, ki..."</p>
<p>"No!! Just take of em, yea? I like Jess. She probably saved me more than I saved her." </p>
<p>Dutch heads over to the flatbed, glancing at the unconscious bodies, even going so far as to check their pulses. "Yea, she's a good 'un. Good luck, love. Here..." He tosses me another clip for my handgun. "...Keep your head down. Use the quad if you need it." </p>
<p>Dutch slides into the truck's driving seat, immediately pulling away. He sticks one wrinkly hand out, waving his goodbyes assumingly, and disappears to the up a different path than the one we drove over. </p>
<p>I'm alone. Again. I scuff my boots against the dirt, wobbly on my feet. It's better this way. It's gotta be. </p>
<p>I ignore the quad, with how I'm feeling, I'd fall off it once I hit the teeniest of bumps, and start off to the opposite direction from where the truck went. If I can just grab some food, a place to sleep, that'll be enough. It has to be.</p>
<p>-28 years ago -</p>
<p>"OniOniOniOniOni..." I jab my little index finger into the belly of Oni, he gonna wake up. We gotta be <em> super </em> quiet.</p>
<p>Oni mumbles, stirring in his sleep and slapping away at my hand. "...Mmm?? Not now, Jos! Go sleep or I tell Oey on you." </p>
<p>Pfft. Oey? I can take him. I yank at Oni's leg, hushing him when he cries out. "Shhh Oni!" Oey stirs, wrapping his blanket tighter around him. "Come on. We gotta help out." </p>
<p>I grab Oni's hand, tugging him out the room, giggly and shhing until we skid onto the cold kitchen tiles in our threadbare socks.</p>
<p>Oni stops, stamping his foot down dramatically. "No, Jos!! Pops is go... Gonna be here soon. He's gonna punish us." </p>
<p>I stick my tongue out at him. "He <em> always </em> punishes us, now come on!" </p>
<p>Oni makes some noise about Pops always punishing me, but I ignore him and let go of his hand to pull the big kitchen chair over to the sideboard. It skids along the floor, the scrape tootoo loud, but father doesn't hear it, that's the good thing. </p>
<p>I clamber up, then up again onto the sideboard. Toast!! No... Bread. Need to stuff bread into toast popper upper. Oey showed me how. My little fingers lift up the wooden bread box and collects the two crusts that remain. That's okay, Pops likes end. He likes rough food. He says "is gittier than regular ship". I like rough food too, now. </p>
<p>Is gittier.</p>
<p>I glance down at Oni. He's standing with his arms wrapped around him, all nervous. "Oni! Grab butter. Pops likes crushed peanuts, too. Up on shelf." I point to the fridge, my hands full of bread.</p>
<p>He shuffles off, and I continue along the sideboard to the toaster, carefully shoving the pieces in one at a time. I make a "pop" sound with my lips when I push the hinge down, staring down from directly above when the red lights up, the heat tickly my nose.</p>
<p>Pops is gonna be super proud of us. He's always cookin. I wanna cook. I pull away from the toaster when the heat floats up, turning to Oni with my hands on my hips.</p>
<p>"O..."</p>
<p>"What the <em> fuck </em> do you think you're doing?!" </p>
<p>Father!! He's not...!!! He's supposed ta... </p>
<p>Father ignores me, grabbing Oni roughly by the shoulder and shaking him. I can... I can't... That?? What?? Where's Pops??</p>
<p>No!! Yanking the hothothot toaster off the sideboard, the lead whipping me against my back, I jump off and onto the kitchen table, kicking plates aside just as Father raises his hand to... *smack*</p>
<p>Oni drops to the floor just as I slide off the table and fall onto my knees beside Father's crumpled body. The freshly dented toaster pops up from its position on the ground,  the bread ruined, and silence overwhelms us. </p>
<p>The front door quietly closes, there's a pregnant pause, then heavy boots stomp into the kitchen. </p>
<p>Pops is home. He gonna be soso mad.</p>
<p>Not as mad as Father.</p>
<p>We all stare at his sleepy body, a splash of red colour. It bright and pretty. </p>
<p>I grip Oni's hand in mine. </p>
<p>It was my fault. </p>
<p>-Present day-</p>
<p>Can't have been walking for more than ten minutes, but I'm shattered. All the nearby trees were mocking my weakness, not even allowing me the chance to climb up them. Maybe if I just curl up near this bush...</p>
<p>Yea, that's nice. It's got berries on it but... Fuck, not poisonous but close enough. I'll just sleep here for a seco...</p>
<p>"Sinner!!" A stinky hand grips my neck, yanking me up like a dog. "I've found a sinner!!" It drags me along the floor and tosses me to the dirt like rags. A boot stamps on my hand, and I cry out, glancing up through the harsh brightness to a ragged, shirtless, tattooed man with black, shoulder length hair and... His tat across his chest mentions... Oey? </p>
<p>He grinds his boot into my hand, laughing as I cry out again. "Good. Come. We must bring her to Baptism." </p>
<p>He crouches down beside me, laughing mockingly when I flinch away from his grubby hand brushing at my cheek. "Come, sinner. It's time to be <em> saved." </em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Our mark will end this.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jos... well, she’s in deep shit basically. Don’t know how to say anything else without spoilers 😅</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hihihihihi!! What a fucking week, huh?? Fanfic Authors couldn’t make that shit up 🙃</p>
<p>How are we today, troublechips?? This is actually my favourite Chapter along with the next one so tell me how it goes, huh? No lies. Spill your truth!! ...Okay, been playing too much FC5 😅 </p>
<p>I’ll be adding to the twelve Chapters to make it fifteen cos of Epilogues. Finishing the last one. And then I gotta start writing the next fic!! YEEE SHALL NOT DISTRACT ME, SHINY SQUIRREL THAT I MUST CHASE!!!! It’s so shiny 😭</p>
<p>Righty rooooo, buttkins, tell me whatcha think 🥰 Later, potatas.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>-John-</p>
<p>It was time to go home.  </p>
<p>He didn't want to, they were winning, after all. </p>
<p>Fuck knows what had gone on without him. He caught a glance of his YES sign in the distance, proudly and silently ruling over his domain. Only one Sinner had tried to rip it down. By fire, of all things. John laughed mockingly as he batted at a tree stump with his boot. </p>
<p>Foolish Sinners. </p>
<p>He doubted that the Lamb, or so-called, would have done any better. He probably would have ended up with his head on a spike like the fool that had tried. </p>
<p>Instead of floating down the river. </p>
<p>It was John himself who had found the Rookie Deputy in the river from up above in his Affirmation. He had radioed in, then landed nearby to find the Father pulling the Deputy out. The head had taken a nasty gash to it, the skull clearly caved in at the back.</p>
<p>"It's not meant to be like this..." His older brother had murmured, running his fingers tentatively over the gash. "...This shouldn't be."</p>
<p>John had ushered his men away, and sat back against a rock as Joseph had prayed over and over again. Sometimes repeating the familiar prayer, begging God himself to give him the new Truth. </p>
<p>When Joseph had fallen, near disappearing into the water to be drowned, John had been pulled out of his stupor, running out and making his way to his brother and dragging him out of the ice cold river. </p>
<p>Joseph had lost himself to a Vision, speaking in tongues, merely a vessel from God but too much for one man.</p>
<p>It <em> hurt </em> John to see him like this. </p>
<p>When Joseph returned from his suffering, he was usually weakened, in agony and anguish. Scribbling in his journal for night after night until the brothers were forced to drag him to his bed.</p>
<p>But not that night. </p>
<p>Joseph was... At peace. But silenced, like a secret. He had forced John away from the truth, pushing him further and further away until John had taken off into the night, leaving his comforts, his communication.</p>
<p>To be alone. Like he always was.</p>
<p>It was what reassured him as he flew in his plane. The simple time alone. Radio off. Nothing nearby. Memories were dragged from the deepest pit of hell, and it would take longer for them to reach him up there.</p>
<p>Simple logic.</p>
<p>If also meant he was closer to her. </p>
<p>More logic.</p>
<p>John smirked and shrugged his messenger bag over his shoulder, making sure his weapon was at his hip, in his boot, set against his back. </p>
<p>Alright. All he needs is to find a follower, and then their radio, and deal with the consequences of his Sins later. It would mostly be from Joseph, Jacob merely smacked him round the head, one tiny fucking lecture, and then leave. </p>
<p>Bing, bang, boom.</p>
<p>Maybe he should get Joe out the way first. </p>
<p>He made his way down the mountain, carefully traversing through the forest and allowing the thin tendrils of his Wrath to be snatched away by the long branches that brushed against him. The Seed fam...Brothers forever felt at peace here in nature.</p>
<p>They all knew why.</p>
<p>He could see his Bunker to the left, the floodlights seemingly outshining the sun in the darkened forest, and bounced a step to peer over a nearby tree. His people were busy at work, no Sloth, no punishments. He was always watching.</p>
<p>The amount of time he'd had to...</p>
<p>"Get the fu...!! Stop!! I wan... Let me..."</p>
<p>*smack*</p>
<p>Oh dear. It seems one of his dear Sinners was causing trouble. He followed the soft groans to a nearby area of Baptism, catching two of his men as they dragged the Sinner towards the water. </p>
<p>It was mhmmm... Vernon, he believed his name was, leading tssss Christopher, of course, who was dragging a small, skinny Sinner by the neck. It was a female, no doubt in his mind, filthy and bloodied from the devious mayhem he was certain she had been part of.</p>
<p>John considered moving on, but perhaps this would lessen the punishment from the Father. Sharing his gift with others was always a way into Joseph's good books.</p>
<p>"Brothers!" John called, announcing his arrival and waving his arm up high. "It seems you are about to save this Sinner. May I join you?"</p>
<p>Vernon stopped immediately, turning towards John with a large, Prideful grin on his muddy face. Christopher paused, glancing up at John with a smaller smile, lessened by Sloth, and Wrath was surely a part also as Christopher slammed the Sinner down to the dirt, placing his boot on her neck. </p>
<p>John made his way cheerfully down the small mound. "Now, now, brother Christopher. To what does this young woman deserve such Wrath?" </p>
<p>"My apologies, brother John. This Sinner tried to stab me with my own blade. I will Atone, of course." John peered round his leg at the scrawny woman, noticing her chin had risen. </p>
<p>He knelt down beside her, lifting her chin further up. The eye closest to him had been partially swollen shut recently, blood dribbled down her chin in rivers from past and present. "My dear, we shall wash away those Sins of yours and then spill your truth all over my floor." </p>
<p>She shuddered, snatching her face away. Ah Wrath and Pride perhaps? It wouldn't take him long.</p>
<p>He nodded, and stood, practically skipping as he lead the small group to the clear river water. It was a perfect day for this. The rain should not pour and attempt to wash the Sins away, that was wrong. It was the river for the Project. How it's always been. </p>
<p>John made his way to a nearby rock, climbing upon it with his hand on his hip, as Christopher passed the Sinner to Vernon. She was stumbling. Perhaps the liberating of their resources was taking a real effect on this woman. She would be fed in time.</p>
<p>Christopher stood guard as Vernon led the Sinner through the water. He raised the Book of Joseph high to the heavens, and forced the Sinner's face deep into the water, as he had been taught. </p>
<p>John took a deep breath, closing his eyes and running a hand across his shoulder. Only the barely heard gasps of the weakened woman disturbed the silence, and, really, this was all music to his ears. </p>
<p>He opened his azures to the vibrant blue of the sky, dropping his gaze peacefully to the...</p>
<p>His heart stopped. </p>
<p>This was a joke. </p>
<p>The resistance was messing with him. Of course! How did they even know?? But of course they know, they always <em> fucking </em> know! </p>
<p>
  <em> How dare they. </em>
</p>
<p>"Leave. Us." John ordered, stepping down from the rock and walking the distance towards the Sinner Whore. </p>
<p>"Sir...?"</p>
<p>
  <em> "Now." </em>
</p>
<p>His men dispersed. He didn't care where they went. </p>
<p>She needed to die. </p>
<p>-Jos-</p>
<p>"You think this is some sort of joke?!"</p>
<p>John forced me into the water again. He was gonna kill me. This is fucking typical. I waved my arm, splashing the water about and managing to catch another breath. </p>
<p>"...Think you can just <em> trick </em> me like I'm a fool?! She's dead!! Dead!!"</p>
<p>He forced me back under. What the fuck was he...? Oh shit. He shoved his knee forward, crushing it over my busted hand. Oh God, oh fuck. Don't breathe!! But I need to... I swallowed mouthful after mouthful of water, my mind fuzzy... I was... He was...</p>
<p>I'm sorry.</p>
<p>The weight was lifted and a splash occurred beside me as two heavy bodies hit the water. I lifted myself up, gasping quick, shallow breaths of air desperately, and narrowly avoiding a boot to my face from the scuffle.</p>
<p>I crawled backwards, back and back, vaguely taking in the new person's greens. My escape was halted by a stump, and I barely managed to climb up and over, only barely catching the yells from the two. </p>
<p>"...You need to stop!!" </p>
<p>"Get off... "</p>
<p>"...One of u...."</p>
<p>" ...Lying to me!!"</p>
<p>
  <em> "JOHN!!” </em>
</p>
<p>His roar made me jump, cowering back against a tree as my breath tried to keep me alive. I made myself small as possible, blending as well as I could, and slowly inched my way back and back, then as fast as I could before...</p>
<p>
  <em> “But Oni...”<br/>“I don’t care who started this, sort it out between you!” Pops yelled. <br/>I held my trembling bottom lip and... bonked Oni over the head with a book before running away and scrambling out the window.<br/>“Jos!! You get your ass back here NOW!!”<br/>I ran. I run fast now. Pops never find me again. Oh no... He run fast, too. I hear his bo... I squeal as my cuff is yanked up and I swing in the air, caught like rabbit. <br/>“Back inside NOW.”<br/>“Okay, PopPop.” </em>
</p>
<p>"Stop! That's enough. Both of you." Pops ordered, forcing Oni up and shaking him like a wild beast. I finally looked at Oni, my twin. He was tall, the same eyes but angrier and full of distrust. He had a beard, like most of these people did, and he was dressed in fine blues, black jeans, muddied boots made of leather. His tattoos were... Everywhere. He was angry, he was soso angry. </p>
<p>Jacob forced Oni closer as I kept trying to squirm away. In my heart, I knew it was no use. That didn't mean I shouldn't try. </p>
<p>"Jacob! Let me go! I have to kill this snake." </p>
<p>Pops sighed heavily, gripping tighter onto John's shoulder. "No, no. You'll never come back from that." </p>
<p>"She's a liar!! A trick! A fake!! Show him your scar, whore! Jacob, we mustn't let the resistance tear us down!..."</p>
<p>"John. Look at her." </p>
<p>I felt their eyes on me as I tried to scoot away. My left hand was busted, but my right found...</p>
<p>I jumped up, swinging the thick stick like a sword. "Get back!!"</p>
<p>Jacob slowly shook his head. </p>
<p>John became angrier. "See, Jake? She's just a sinner wh..."</p>
<p>
  <em> "Shut the fuck up, Oni!" </em>
</p>
<p>The whole world stopped, and I realised my mistake.</p>
<p>Oni.</p>
<p>No. Oh... I held my stick high as John collapsed to the ground, Jacob's hand guiding him down by clinging to his shirt.</p>
<p>"...What did you...?" Oni muttered softly, his voice broken. </p>
<p>"Jus... Jus get away!! Let me go!!"</p>
<p>"You know we can't do that, little shadow. You come with us now." </p>
<p>A sob came out of nowhere as I leaned heavily against the tree beside me. "No!! No, Pops..." I begged, tears collecting with the river water. I ignored Oni who was openly sobbing, muffled by a tattooed hand over his mouth. "...I wanna go!! This is... It's enough!!" </p>
<p>"No. Not for you. <em> Never </em> for our family." Jacob reached out his other hand, ignoring my weak threat. "Come on."</p>
<p>A wave of fury hits me and I cry harder, waving the stick at his hand which he easily dodges. "No!! You don't get it!! You're not my brothers!! You... Need ta ... You and... And John!! And the fucking father are <em> nothing </em> to m...!!"</p>
<p>"Now that's not very nice." </p>
<p>A toned arm grabbed me from behind, tightening against my collarbone and lowering itself until it wrapped up my arms and ended around my waist. I yelped when a warm hand caressed against my throat, pulling me back into a hard body. A long leg wrapped around mine and a chin rested upon my head, keeping me locked.</p>
<p>Jacob stepped forward, yanking the stick away and tossing it into the water. He immediately brushed my tears away with his thumb, smiling down at me as new tears surfaced. "Now, now. You did well, Jos, but ya know better." He nodded to the person behind me, and turned back to the crumpled mess of Oni.</p>
<p>The person holding me, hushing softly in my ear? I already knew who it was. The hold was the same as when we were children and I was adamant in my want to help. </p>
<p>No matter how small I was.</p>
<p>Oey. The father. Joseph fucking Seed. Whatever was his name, he had me now.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. You hold my shame in your hands.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The family is finally reunited. But guilt still remains.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, my beans 💜💜</p>
<p>How are we fluffffffin along?? </p>
<p>So, this Chapter is EMOTIONAL for me cos I cried while writing it. I’m a bit of a wet mess atm, everything makes me cry. So, you, as regular, less batshit, people need to tell me your FEELS. </p>
<p>Comments await. Make me cry!!! IT’S NOT HARD 🥺</p>
<p>Love youuuuus 💜💜💜</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>-Joseph-</p>
<p>She smelled the same. </p>
<p>He remembers that day when they were split up. </p>
<p>How a foolish choice led to his brother and sister being stolen away. They didn't have to take them. If only they had listened, Joseph would have explained the truth of the matter. </p>
<p>Instead, he was left holding John. Soon after, even these two broken souls would be torn apart. </p>
<p>Now they were all here, beside the water that had once baptised him. </p>
<p>It had taken years to figure out a hold when they were children, she had taken to squirming out of anything less. If only he had moved faster, perhaps John would not be so broken and Josephine would not be as frail. </p>
<p>"Joe? Ple. .. Please..."</p>
<p>He hushed her with a soothing hum. There was no escape, dearest flower. </p>
<p>They waited at the sidelines as Jacob helped John to his feet, his trembling obvious. The brothers held each other with their eyes only on her, Jacob whispering muted noise into John's ear as John bounced his head, tears caressing his cheeks. </p>
<p>He could feel the fear and exhaustion in Josephine, too. A combination of daring to dart into the forest like a startled rabbit, and having that rabbit know it was already caught.</p>
<p>Joseph brought his hand around the soft skin of her neck, humming quietly as he found her mark. <em> Their </em> mark. He left his fingers glide over the risen pink flesh, curling like a snake. Nobody outside of the siblings knew of this significance. </p>
<p>Raising his bearded chin off her hair, Joseph pushed firmly at the back of her head until her scar was clear to John. He was near drunken in his stumbling over to see, raising his tattooed hand up shakily and caressing the mark their father had given them all. Of course, John only had his because of Josephine. Perhaps the twins would have avoided such a burden, however, Josephine had fallen into a trap of her own Pride that day, and the two of them were made to suffer for it.</p>
<p>You don't hit father with a toaster and expect nothing in return.</p>
<p>"Plea...please, Oey..." His dear sister sobbed, attempting to flinch away from John. </p>
<p>Oey. His whole life... Heavens, he had missed her. </p>
<p>Joseph brushed away John's tentative fingers, and carefully turned Josephine towards him, keeping a firm grip on her slight frame. She kept her eyes from his, this was acceptable as the eyes never changed. Her pouting lips shook, a fresh spill of tears making their way down her bloodied face, and her cheekbones were prominent. She had been through enough. </p>
<p>He would take care of her now. Joseph would take care of all of them. </p>
<p>Their work was done.</p>
<p><em> Her </em> work was done.</p>
<p>His now would truly begin.</p>
<p>-Jos-</p>
<p>Don't look at him. </p>
<p>I felt the presence of John at my side, my skin still tingling from his curiosities. I felt the presence of Jacob at my other side only because his heavy hand was firmly on my shoulder.</p>
<p>Even if I could kick Oey, I highly doubted I could escape. </p>
<p>Jacob's hand tightened on my shoulder. He always could know what mischief I was up to, Oey was the one who knew everything else.</p>
<p>Oni was my twin, he just accepted it whatever knowledge he knew of me.</p>
<p>Two fingers dipped under my chin, attempting to rise my eyes to their gaze. This was gonna happen either way, they usually got what they wanted. I opened my eyes carefully, keeping them low. They immediately took in the scars.</p>
<p>"Oey? Wha... Did father...??" I traced the tip of the Lust, flinching back when he shifted. There were tattoos, too. He... "You didn't used to like these..." My fingertips brushed at the air above the tattoo. He was still scrawny, just not sticks and veins. There was another tattoo across his chest? </p>
<p>Did he think he was... King? </p>
<p>"Oe... Joseph. Why?" My eyes fluttered up, taking in the neat beard first, and then...</p>
<p>...Him. It was him. It was like a punch to the gut. I wavered from it all, the hand tightening at my hips and around my shoulder. His eyes were not at all the same. Like he had seen too much, <em> become </em> too much.</p>
<p>"Dearest Josephine." He cooed, ducking down to place the softest of kisses against my brow. I felt the tears flow against my wishes when the memories came rushing back. </p>
<p>I never even said goodbye to any of them. </p>
<p>My lips opened and closed, trying to get anything out, but not a word could be spoken as Oey pulled me to his collarbone and tightened his arms around me. </p>
<p>I sobbed, snuffling away when Pops tightened his grip and dipped his brow against my forehead. </p>
<p>Oni was like a statue. Still there but cold to it all. I know he was cold because my hand slipped down between our bodies, reaching for his icy fingers. They still remained frozen solid, not a movement, and then they curled around mine carefully like I was made of eggshells. </p>
<p>That was as much as he could do. Just love me like an eggshell.</p>
<p>I pulled away slightly from Oey, whispering John's nickname. </p>
<p>Oni let go before I could see his eyes, his back disappearing into the forest.</p>
<p>"Oni!" I pulled away best I could, but was still held to my eldest brothers. "No! Please, I need to go! You... You come too but I got... I gotta go!" </p>
<p>Jacob nodded firmly, grabbing my hand with his and yanking me into the forest after Oni. I stumbled and tripped more than once, the exhaustion becoming too much. When Pops accidentally slammed me into a tree trunk, he gave up and tossed me over his shoulder. I glanced up from my upside down position being slammed into Jacob's back to spot Joe following suit, his gaze distant and panicked.</p>
<p>It only took a couple of moments to catch up with John in an opening. Jacob stopped and carefully placed me down to the dirt, turning me towards Oni crouched on the floor like a ball. He used to do this as a child when Oey wasn't around and the yelling became too much. It was so familiar but he wasn't a kid anymore. </p>
<p>Maybe I broke him.</p>
<p>Maybe we were all broken.</p>
<p>I raised my hand, quietly asking my two eldest to stay put.</p>
<p>"Oni?" Dropping to my knees, I crawled painfully towards him and curled up on my side like I did when we were little. </p>
<p>"...Oni?" </p>
<p>A soft voice left the trembling ball. "Go away, Jos."</p>
<p>"No." I peered over and Pops, his arms folded in his now regular stance, and Oey with his hand calmly placed over Jacob's shoulder. "I don't wanna go." </p>
<p>My eldest brothers relaxed visibly. </p>
<p>I focused on Oni again. "I wanna stay." </p>
<p>"No. Everybody <em> always </em> leaves us." </p>
<p>I plucked a browning leaf up, bitting it between my fingers. "You're right. They always leave us. So, let's just be us. The Seed Siblings, right?"</p>
<p>"Jacob left!! And you, and then Joe, and you all <em> left me with those monsters!" </em> A devastated howl that gutted me left the ball, and I sobbed, too. </p>
<p>"We did. Oni it was <em> my </em> fault that we were split up. Don't you remember? Father... He died... Cos of me... And then... Pops set the barn fire...And then I made it worse." </p>
<p>-26 years ago -</p>
<p>"Josephine, put it down." </p>
<p>It was so heavy, but I knew what to do. I would <em> protect </em> my family. I had to!! </p>
<p>"Kid! Put it down NOW!!" </p>
<p>Somebody tried to come closer on my side but I pull the gun their way, and everybody yell at me again. "Let him go!!" I scream, tears sloping down my dirty cheek. "He... He's my brother!! Let... I shoot! I will!!"</p>
<p>"Jos, honey." It was Pops. .. He was crying, why was he crying?? Did they... Are they hurtin him?? "I'm gonna be fine, little shadow. Just put it down, kay?" </p>
<p>I shook my head furiously. It was too easy to snatch their gun when they snatched my brother, no one ever looks at me. They'll NEVER do this again! "Pops? Whatcha mean? I wanna... I gotta protect you. You... Said... You said I did!" </p>
<p>He crouched down, the cops on either side allowing him. "It's gonna be okay, Jos. This is different. If you hurt them, we'll never see other again. You understand?" He glanced over my shoulder where Oey held Oni in his arms. Both were crying. We all were covered in black ash from the barn fire with fresh tears staining our cheeks. We all looked the same.</p>
<p>Cos we were family.</p>
<p>"Pops... Please don't leave us. I can't... I can't protrec...protect them so good without ya." </p>
<p>Pops smiling warmly, his tears almost makin his eyes like silver in the moonlight. "You're gonna do such a good job for me, little shadow. Take good care of Oni, okay? He needs you." </p>
<p>I waved the gun again, tears near blindin me. "I promise. I promise..." I sob loudly, scuffing my sleeve under my nose.</p>
<p>The gun drops to the ground and a big man who smells of onions grabs me by the shoulder and drags me away from Pops. "Pops!! I love... Love..." I'm thrown into the back of a beat up cop car, the door slamming shut behind me. </p>
<p>"POPS!!" I beat at the window with my little fists, my eyes flickering between a sobbing Oni being held close by Oey, and Pops yelling and fighting the many cops around him. "Wait!! I wanna go with them!!" The door slams shut in the front of the car, and it dips down with weight. No. Nono!!</p>
<p>"ONI!! Wait!! I didn't... Didn't mea... POPS?? ONI!! OEY, HELP!! I WANNA GO WITH THEM!!" The car pulls away and I <em> scream, </em> never to see them again.</p>
<p>The next six months was a school for troubled children. I searched every room, every day for my brothers. They let me out early because I was very good and I never said a word out of turn. </p>
<p>They never knew I escaped each night to search the nearby areas. </p>
<p>Then came the foster homes.</p>
<p>Better less said about them, the better.</p>
<p>-Present day-</p>
<p>"Please forgive me, Oni. I love you." I tug myself closer, sobbing into his arm. "Pleasepleaseplease... I just want... I want my family. Nobody will take us away ever again, okay?" I glance up at Pops and Oey, now both visibly upset. "See? They won't... We won't... It won't happen. We belong together, understand?" I hold on as Oni sobs harder. "No one will ever separate us. Ever."</p>
<p>I hold him tight, both of us drenched by tears and river water. He clings to me, his nails popping my skin like bubble wrap, but I don't care. He's my brother, an he's always been a bit of a doofus.</p>
<p>"I love you, Oni. I didn... I just wanted to help. I missed you so much, I miss you all so..." I burst into shuddery, shaky tears, rocking us both back and forth, holding his large frame to me, clinging like we'll be separated again and again and again.</p>
<p>They didn't even let me... I couldn't even... It was all my fault.</p>
<p>Whispering the words I should have said instead of making everything worse. "I love you, Oni. I'll be with you. Always." </p>
<p>He comes out of his ball, wrinkled and befuddled, smiling shyly, like he used to when I had to peel him off of Oey. He bonks his forehead against mine, his voice lost in his struggle to contain his emotions.</p>
<p>Is it...? What's he gonna...?? "Okay." </p>
<p>Okay?? "Okay??"</p>
<p>I beam, caught up in the joy of having my brothers back, and tackle Oni to the ground, hugging him tighttighttight. He laughs happily, kissing my brow, my chin, my cheek. Everything he can reach, crushed into the ground as he is. </p>
<p>Heavy footprints press into the crispy leaves. "Okay, you two. Break it up. We're not exactly in a safe zone here." Pops crouches down, lifting us up by the scuffs of our shirts. He clips us both round the back of the head and pulls us both in for a squish. </p>
<p>I try for Oni's hand again. </p>
<p>This time, he grips it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. I’ll trade the truth for your love.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Josie strives to Free herself from the guilt, but not for what they expect.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, my pickles 💜💜💜</p>
<p>This is TECHNICALLY the final Chapter. It’s explained as to why it’s not at the end notes. </p>
<p>I hope you enjoyed this fic!! You seem to like it. I love the idea of siblings and how they react to one another, even if they’re murderific. I do wonder if I could make another Josie in the future. Different story but still THEIR Josie. I’ll think about it. </p>
<p>Anywhos, I will see you next week for the Epilogues, darlings. </p>
<p>Take care of yourselves 🥰</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Pops has a lot of men. </p>
<p>All he did was whistle and we were locked in. I flinch when they all surround us, expecting a chain or an electric shock, but Oni grips me tighter, keeping me super close. </p>
<p>"They won't ever hurt you, dearest sister."</p>
<p>"You sure? You got a chainsaw or something cos there's like thirty of em."</p>
<p>Pops skims my shoulder with his thumb on his way past. "I will kill whoever even looks at ya, pup." </p>
<p>Yea, I remember.</p>
<p>Pops leads us out of the forest, apparently he knows the area well. Oey walks at my side, his arms hanging loosely. I feel his gaze on me more often as not. Once, he even hummed a too familiar song in the silence, one about praying by the river, until I begged him to stop. </p>
<p>I didn't want to cry in front of these red head strangers.</p>
<p>Oni doesn't let go of me, or maybe I don't let go of him. Every now and again, I glance down at his hand clasping mine, usually when I catch him glancing down at my hand clasping his. We smile bashfully at each other, like we’re caught out. </p>
<p>He’s so... Oni. Broken, and torn. But he’s my brother. He’s my lil big, bigger brother. </p>
<p>Disbelief and euphoria are the words of the day. </p>
<p>Exhaustion, too. When we finally notice a long snake of white trucks in the distance, I collapse against Oni’s side and he scoops me up, tucking me into his chest. He's better at protection now, it appears. I've done my job. I smile, fiddling with the weird key he has at his chest. I haven't done a damn thing. Nothing good anyways.</p>
<p>"You alright, little sis?" Oni asks, shuffling me in his arms. </p>
<p>I poke him in the collarbone. "Yea, yeah. Jus gotta sleep for a bit. Do you... Do you have a home, too?" </p>
<p>He beams in pride. "Yes. A large one." </p>
<p>"Bagsie the bed."</p>
<p>-John-</p>
<p>If only she knew.</p>
<p>John slid into the truck, his little sister on his lap, and is filled with a hope that he hasn't felt since Joseph first found him. His life was complete. This was it. </p>
<p>Home. </p>
<p>He was an older brother again, and a proud one at that. She <em> apologised </em> to him! She was not Prideful or Greedy, she admitted in what choices she had made as a child. </p>
<p>She was alive, in every sense of the word. </p>
<p>He collected her hand in his, caressing the smooth freckles and risen scars. Same long fingers as the rest of them, but frail and used over and over again. There had only been a slight mention from Jake about her living on the street. Muttered in his ear when all he could see was an impossibility.</p>
<p>Such a different life. </p>
<p>She had little to no love and poverty, but freedom.</p>
<p>He had only hate and punishment, but untold wealth.</p>
<p>Still twins, still similar a life apart. </p>
<p>Josie's eyes drooped, thin breaths of air escaped her lips. He could feel the frailty in her bones, the light pinch of her skin caused tenting and a weak slap against him. Malnourished, dehydrated. His little sister would need weeks of tender care. John was willing, they all were. They remember how she tried as a little girl to take care of them, to treasure them. </p>
<p>Sure, her intentions often were misguided, her heart was always ahead of her mind. John wondered if this had changed with age, but with what Jake had whispered, perhaps not. </p>
<p>They came up to his ranch just as she was starting to doze off. Joseph reached out his arms from beside them in the truck and John reluctantly passed Jos over. </p>
<p>He hopped out the truck, quickly dodging Jacob climbing out the front seat, and dashing to the entrance. Nudging the front door open, he added a flair of dramatics, and immediately clicked the centre fireplace on from a remote sitting on the edge of his coffee table. </p>
<p>With a large, toothy smile, John twisted round to find Jos completely asleep, her mouth agape, and her fist stubbornly clenching Joseph's rosary for whatever reason.</p>
<p>John burst into laughter, muffling it with a bite into his hand. It's fine, it's okay! They were home. All of them. It didn't matter how they got there, not anymore. </p>
<p>-Jos-</p>
<p>"Come on, pup. Up up."</p>
<p>I slap the loud beard with my fingers, cursin up a storm. A big claw catches it on the third slap, and slaps back with a sloppy kiss on my fingers.</p>
<p>"Urgghh?!! Pops...?? What?!" </p>
<p>"Knew that'll get ya. Now up. We need to fatten you up like a Christmas turkey." </p>
<p>Ooo. Okay.</p>
<p>I slide off the soft, sticky leather and immediately fall onto a fluffy rug. </p>
<p>"Bah?!"</p>
<p>"Oh for fuck's sake. Little shadow, I already taught your ass how to walk." Pops shoves his hands under my pits and pulls me to standing. He gives me a quick tap to the back of my head. "March." He orders, near standing on my ankles with how close and bitchy he is.</p>
<p>Holy... This place is so fancy!! "...Shit! Pops, are we in a hotel?" </p>
<p>Jacob scoffs, nudging me past a staircase and through double doors. "Nah. Your twin managed to win the lottery a thousand times over." </p>
<p>There’s a wrapping around my hand, I could swear I was a lil less muddy, too. And was that a...</p>
<p>“Don’t touch it, it’s clean. No more getting into harm’s way, yea? We only have so many supplies.” Pops orders, shuffling me forward. </p>
<p>I gape at the kitchen. Bigger than any soup kitchen I've been to. "How many lotteries does it take to pay for this place?"</p>
<p>"Surprising few with how Johnny plays his games."</p>
<p>He grabs my shoulder and leads me to a wide open area with... My family. It was a round table, small for the space, closer together, with four chairs spaced out neatly. Oni and Joseph were sat together with two empty chairs opposite. They smiled so warmly when we entered that I burst into tears on the spot.</p>
<p>"Josi...?" </p>
<p>I laughed, shaking my head. Lost for words.</p>
<p>Jacob chuckled, holding my arm and dropping me down in this cushioned chair beside him and Oni. </p>
<p>There was a large metal pot on a hot plate in the middle of the table, four bowls placed with four spoons and forks beside it. </p>
<p>Joseph took in a small breath of air, like he used to before he said Grace when were children. It's to calm us all.</p>
<p>"Before we say Grace, we need to talk to you, Josephine."</p>
<p>Oh God. </p>
<p>They couldn't...</p>
<p>"We know it was you."</p>
<p>I flinched, trying to jump up, but Oni and Pops held my hands tight on either side. </p>
<p>Joseph raised his own hand, standing up slowly and pacing around the table towards me. "It's okay, it's alright. That reaction proves you're not like us." </p>
<p>"But I am... "</p>
<p>"No. Not like that. And for this, we are thankful." A sudden tear ran down his cheek and disappeared into his beard. "Just tell us why, sister. Tell us why and we'll <em> never </em> speak of this again."</p>
<p>I nodded, squirming to grip tighter onto Oni and Jacob's hands. They could still hold me but I wanted to hold them, too.</p>
<p>"Destruction." I glance at John. "The plane, a faraway stare from eyes exactly like mine." </p>
<p>I swallow hard and peek up at Joseph. "Fire. It was you but... Later? It made less sense than the other two. There was a tree burning behind your. .. Your..." I swallowed again to hold back my sob.</p>
<p>I squeezed Jacob's hand tightly, rubbing my thumb along his scarred skin. "Acceptance. Like you always knew. That's when I saw him. Spitting on Pop's dead...dead... He yanked away a chain or something?"</p>
<p>Pops squeezed my arm with his other hand. "How did you find him?"</p>
<p>I burrow into myself, eyes down. "The final dream was Death. My only chance to save you, to <em> protect </em> you. I saw him there in my mind, hid behind a tree, and waited. I remember screaming when the plane hit the bridge, I thought that was it. But two men swam up, one in the distance and one... Right in front of me. I knew I had seconds... There was a rock..." I closed my eyes, still feeling the slushy mud beneath us, smell the fire in the air. "It was quick. Less than he deserved."</p>
<p>John spoke gently, scooting his chair up to me. "And you pushed him into the river."</p>
<p>"I rolled him in, didn't want him near me. He floated head down but I don't know where he ended up until later cos a person with a big gun came out of the dark. I could only see his frame. He muttered something then disappeared again." I forced my eyes to glance at Joseph. "Thought he was one of yours." </p>
<p>"How did you even get here, Josephine?" </p>
<p>I scoffed at the foolishness of it all. "I ran, Oey. I hitchhicked, I took buses, I ran out of food, ate out of trash. I could never understand it but I had to <em> try." </em></p>
<p>Silence. </p>
<p>I kept my chin up, sleep and hunger overwhelming me again. </p>
<p>I couldn't take it anymore. "Are you mad?" I nudged the question out into the world, not quite catching the eyes of my brothers. </p>
<p>I felt the presence as Joseph walked quietly around our chairs. He crouched down beside me, and everybody let go of my hands when he pressed a hand to my hip and forced my body to his. His hands were warm as they encased mine, the rosary making its way into my palm.</p>
<p>"Why, sister? Why would we be mad? You protect us. No matter how small you are, no matter how challenging, no matter how foolish, you've always protected us."</p>
<p>I nod, my tears collecting on his hands. "Foolish, huh?" </p>
<p>"Of course." Oey smiled up at me. He glanced up at our brothers. "But part of bravery is foolishness so it goes hand in hand. You're one of us, Josie. But this will be the final time you take a life, do you understand?"</p>
<p>I nod furiously. Like how is that even a question? "Yea! Unless it's to save you, and then I'll kill everybody." </p>
<p>Silence again. When Joseph quietly stands up and sits back in his chair, my brothers eyes are all on me.</p>
<p>I mean, really? </p>
<p>They know our lives, what we can be capable of. What we'll do. </p>
<p>At least, I think they know that now. </p>
<p>I certainly do.</p>
<p>For them, I'll kill.<br/>For them, I'll end the world.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So! This is ORIGINALLY the final Chapter. And I was happy with it until lovely peoples wanted more time with the siblings. So there’s 3 epilogues where we wrap things up. This is still TECHNICALLY the final Chapter. I liked how I ended it so they’re given the chance to find a way to love one another, but I guess it’s family based so that’s why I added Epilogues. See you next week for Epilogue 1 💜</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. EPILOGUE Part 1: Time spent confused.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Josie spends time with her mildly cultish eldest brothers.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Helllllo, chickenbutts 🥰</p>
<p>So, I’ve completed this fic obviously but with Authorisms, I’ve added three extra Chapters just so I can officially let them live as siblings. </p>
<p>It’s mostly just talking tbh but I like that shit so let’s jog along. There’s very little John in this Chapter, I feel like they deserve their own pin and that’ll be put in the fic in the next Chapter. </p>
<p>Any who, I hope you enjoy ☺️ I love talking about their past together. Sweet little siblings in a tough environment. The littlest ones knowing of their situation but still clinging to their eldest siblings like they’re trying to protect them even though they’ve been going through this for much longer. There’s a protective streak which should have been in the game. </p>
<p>So I’ll pop in next week with more.</p>
<p>Love ya butts 💜</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>-30 years ago-</p>
<p>Bop</p>
<p>Bopbopbop</p>
<p>Dust fairy, they bloop and bop. I catch them. </p>
<p>They twisty and spinny. But I catch. </p>
<p>Okay, this is supey doopey hard. </p>
<p>I need glue and net. </p>
<p>Or jam. We have jam. </p>
<p>Shhh don’t wanna wake doofy. He so silly. </p>
<p>He like night cos Oni is like the stars wayway up. </p>
<p>Maybery, I learn fly and then I put him up on star. </p>
<p>Then he love me. </p>
<p>I love doofy. </p>
<p>But his opey mouth blow dust fairies. </p>
<p>Maybery, I can stuff Mr frog in his socks. </p>
<p>Oeyo says that’s I gotta be careyful with Mr frog. </p>
<p>I super careyfu...</p>
<p>"Jos, honey. Where are you?" </p>
<p>PopPop. </p>
<p>I push myself up, and scramble over the sleeping Oni. He mumbles my name in his sleep, and I smack a big sloppy kiss on his cheek.</p>
<p>"Urghhh... Josie, quit it!" Oni rubs at his cheek with his hand, and I smile a big toothy grin then kiss him again before running out the door giggling.</p>
<p>...PopPopPop...</p>
<p>Nooo... Not in tub. </p>
<p>Bop</p>
<p>NopeNope... Not in the kitcheren.</p>
<p>"PopPop?" I peer into the livey room. The telly is on but it's also singy. Pop don't like singy. Oeyo is sat. He looks cold, his nose snuffles as I gape at him.</p>
<p>"Hello, chicken. PopPop is out back." Oeyo uncrosses his longlong legs and grabs a blue cardigan offa a uppity hook. He drags it over me, and picks me high up into the sky. "You gonna be good today, sweetie?" says Oeyo, sliding my arm into the cardigan. He kisses my forehead, all cold and dry. </p>
<p>I'll take care of him.</p>
<p>I pop my arm out, squirming in his grip, and start to slide the cardigan over his skinny fingers. </p>
<p>He chuckles, sweet and soothing. "No, no. This is yours, my little angel. I'm much too big."</p>
<p>"Oeyo, you cold. Pops, he says that I gotta be prot...protrectering. He says I his two." </p>
<p>Oeyo jostles me in his hold, his pokey fingers tickly my belly. "I promise I'll wrap up snug as a bug. Why don't you go outside, and I'll pop the bath on for you and Oni? Lotsa bubbles."</p>
<p>I sniff, my nose already like ice cream. "Can we... Can we have the blue? Oni likes blue." </p>
<p>Oey spins me around, grabbing a cloth hanky and snuffling it against my nose. I fight. I always fight. I can do it. I'm not a baby. "Oeyo!! Qui... Quitit!! I can... Can do it!!" I fight against him but he's so big. </p>
<p>"Big blow for me, little one." </p>
<p>Urg. He so hopeless. I blow hard then he pulls the yucky hanky away. I wait until he places the yucky on the couch, then stick my tongue out at him when he faces me again. </p>
<p>That'll show him.</p>
<p>He puts on his serious face and I know then that I win. </p>
<p>"Okay, flower. I'll go pop the bath on. Why don't you go out and find PopPop?" He places me on the floor, and hugs me tighttight to him. I fight but I want really so I wrap my hand around his. </p>
<p>Running off, I yank at his cardigan until it falls off the peg, the itchy sleeve whacking me on the head. I chase after Oeyo, and pull at his trousers until he sees me. </p>
<p>He smiles again. Don't be know he in trouble? With a unwanted ruffle off my hair, he wraps the cardigan around him, and goes off to put hothot water in bath.</p>
<p>I hope he remembers the blue.</p>
<p>I scramble off towards the back door, my socks getting caught on the scritchy tiles, and make my way to...</p>
<p>-Present day-</p>
<p>What was that?!</p>
<p>Somebody fucking screamed!!!</p>
<p>Omigod!! </p>
<p>I jump up from the furry floor rug and scramble on my hands and knees until I have the bleary common sense to stand up. I've not closed the door so it swings easily open, and I barrel out onto the fancy hallway with the skylight.</p>
<p>It's light out here. I asked to keep it on. I've only been here for like something hours so they don't know me yet, I don't even know where their bedrooms are. There's five doors up here!! </p>
<p>Okay... End one is big bathroom. Next one...? Who am I looking for?? Omigod. Okay... Nice n easy. I push at the handle and the door slides open. Sniffing the air...It's Pops!! He smells like cigars. Maybe I should look for...</p>
<p>There's a scream again, and I gasp back, choke on my own spit, and burst into hacking coughs. </p>
<p>There's a grunt and a figure in the dark lurches out of bed.</p>
<p>"Jos?!" It slams its palm against my back and I stumble into the doorframe with the force. </p>
<p>Graceful we are not.</p>
<p>"P...Ops!" I cough out. I point dramatically at my door, but he doesn't understand. I cough some more before finally yelling out "Scream!! They scream... We go.. Gotta go help!!" I grab his chunky hand and run straight past my door before Jacob tugs me back. I flick the light on and point out the window. </p>
<p>"There!! Come on, let's go."</p>
<p>"Jos, we..."</p>
<p>"Yes!! Now! Come on!" </p>
<p>"Honey, listen..."</p>
<p>I ignore him and head out the door, running straight into Oey with his arms wrapped around him and a sleepy look on his face. "Joe!! Come on!" I yank at his arm and start to drag him down the stairs. </p>
<p>"Josie, stop!!" </p>
<p>I don't. I keep tugging at Oey and it's only when two big pale arms wrap around my belly that I stop at the bottom of the stairs. "Pops?! Let go! We gotta try!" </p>
<p>"Listen to me, Jos. They gotta suffer."</p>
<p>What?</p>
<p>"What? No, they don't!! We can try to help!" </p>
<p>Joseph pulls himself around me and cups my cheek with his warm, free hand. "Angel, they must be punished." </p>
<p>What? I don't understand. "What did they do?" </p>
<p>His eyes fill with pity and I don't know for which person he pities. "We tried to save them, but they fight us. The weak must be punished. The path ahead is filled with challenges, my little one."</p>
<p>I gape. Is he lying or joking?? But no... His eyes, forever the deepest blue, are only filled with pity. </p>
<p>And not for them.</p>
<p>"You're wrong. You're wrong. I don't like you right now, Oey. You let me go help them. Now!" </p>
<p>Jacob shifts behind me, starting to drag me back up the stairs as I squirm. "No can do, little shadow. Too dangerous out there. Tell you what, I'll radio in and we'll toss that weak bastard in John's bunker. How about that?"</p>
<p>I fight him. I gotta try. But he's always gonna be bigger than me. "Pops, wait!! Come on!! Please. You said I'm your second, were you wrong??" </p>
<p>He sighs and I feel it on my back as he drags me up the stairs. "No, love. Just.. It's different. You were my second as a kid. Gotta protect your family." </p>
<p>Joseph starts to follow us back up the stairs, avoiding the pathetic kicks I toss out. I try to drop, it used to work, but they're no way in getting caught out. They knew me before, and my tricks haven't changed much. </p>
<p>Apart from that one where I kick people in the crotch but... Maybe later. I think I'll be super punished for that. </p>
<p>Jacob drops me at the top of the staircase, the screams in the distance now twisting to whimpers as I cringe and try to collect my footing. "Why haven't you bathed yet, Jos?"</p>
<p>"I washed my hands and face, but I was too tired for anything else. Plus... It's kinda stupid but I don't understand how to turn on the bath or the shower. Oni has terrible taste." </p>
<p>Joe appears, tenderly gazing down at me then brushing at my bruised eye with his fingertips. "I'll just turn it on, Josephine. I'll be but a moment." </p>
<p>I watch as Joseph disappears down the hall to the room I sleep in. There's a bathroom in there, too. I could swear this place is a hotel, its gotta be.</p>
<p>Pops knocks his shoulder into mine to get my attention. "What's up, trouble?" </p>
<p>"He's weird now. Did something happen?" </p>
<p>Pops sighs heavily, draping his lumpy muscular arm over my shoulder. "Sure, kid. A lot of shit happened."</p>
<p>Oh.</p>
<p>"Should I hug him or something equally affectionate?"</p>
<p>He lifts my chin to his bossy gaze. "Couldn't hurt. Just be careful around those two, and no sneaking up on me. That's all you need to know about it for now."</p>
<p>Oh. </p>
<p>I lean into Pops. I guess I'm still a little weird around them but pressing my ear to his heart will do me good. It wapwapwaps. Good. He's still alive. I succeeded in my mission. </p>
<p>"I'm glad you're not dead." </p>
<p>There's a brush of stritchy beard against my forehead. "I'm glad you had to double check." </p>
<p>There's another scream and I jump a foot, already turning to head downstairs. Jacob simply tugs me back, leading me into his bedroom. "I'll get it, trouble. You sit." </p>
<p>I cross my legs and drop to the floor by the wardrobe.</p>
<p>"I meant on the bed but... Whatever. I'll be a sec." </p>
<p>I pick at my borrowed shorts as Pops radios in. He's quick about it, speaking in code. I swear he mentioned socks at one point. What's a judge again? Does the judge have a sock?</p>
<p>"Alright, toss yourself in the tub then off to bed. I gotta get up in a couple of hours."</p>
<p>"Are they dead?" </p>
<p>"One of them is."</p>
<p>I can't breathe.</p>
<p>Oh shit. I bury my fingers in my hair and make myself smaller on the floor. Oh my God. I was too late. They were too early? Oh God, oh God...</p>
<p>"...on me, trouble. It's fine. People die everyday."</p>
<p>What? "...the fuck are...you talkin ab...out, Pops??" I shove him back a centimetre with the palm of my busted hand against his chest. "They're dying because of you!!" </p>
<p>"Josephi..."</p>
<p>"Don't you fucking dare!!" I clamber up his body, too weak to scramble up myself. "You're not who you were!!" </p>
<p>I try to force myself past him but I got my stubbornness from Jacob. "Forget it, kid. You're not storming off." He grabs my bicep, and it hurts with how strong he is. </p>
<p>"Let me go, Jacob."</p>
<p>"I'm not gonna let you fuck off out there and get yourse..."</p>
<p>I snarl, twisting as best as I can with how close he is. "I'm not leaving, dumbass! I promised John that I would try."</p>
<p>"Try to what?"</p>
<p>"Be a Seed again. It's just..." I slouch against the arm holding me up. "...I wish our name meant life not death." </p>
<p>I catch my breath against Jacob, his coarse thumb soothing my trembling flesh. "Little shadow, our name <em> does </em> mean life. I know it's hard for you to understand..."</p>
<p>"It is, Pops. It is. I don't want to be a part of your cult. I did what I did, and any just world will string me up for it." </p>
<p>"It's a good thing our world forgives you, pup. A thousand times over. Hell, you did what I wanted. Joe, though... All those years of expecting that end that you saw yourself..." Jake sighs heavily into my hair, and it takes me back to earth like a failed rocket launch. "...Sweetheart, I don't mind who you are cos you've always been perfect to me. But those two brothers of ours? I think they just gave up on ever finding us all again. The world was gonna end and that woulda put a pin in it."</p>
<p>Mhmm. I turn my neck, nestling into his beard. He's too tall now, I gotta tell him off about that. "I glad I found you first. That actually makes sense to me. Oni tried to kill me and Oey is currently <em> LISTENING OUTSIDE THE DOOR." </em></p>
<p>Joe stepped in, a faux sheepish look on his face. </p>
<p>I pull away from Pops, stumbling a little on my way, and wrestle Joe into a hug, burying my nose in his upper arm. He places a hand on my hip. He's still so bony, just toned boned.  "You still whistle when you breathe, Oey. You could never sneak up on us unless you stopped breathing." </p>
<p>His whistle changes which means he's smiling. You learn these things after spending your short childhood clinging to your dorky big brothers. "How do you remember so much, little flower?" </p>
<p>"You kidding me? You were all I had. In the quietest nights, I sang myself to sleep with your songs about rivers, and that hymn thing, and the one about Lord helping me. I kinda wish you erred into Queen or Rolling Stones but... You were always a bit of a God fan club of one." </p>
<p>There's a snort behind me and I giggle into Joseph's arm. He still sniffs like faint soap, light sweat of a Georgia summer. There's a fresh, sweet waft I can't figure out just yet.</p>
<p>He pulls away, fingers through my hair, cups my chin, and bonks my forehead against his. When he closes his eyes, I watch him. </p>
<p>"Is this a cult thing?" </p>
<p>"We're not a cult, we're a family."</p>
<p>"You're a cult."</p>
<p>"We are a fam..."</p>
<p>I yank myself away. "No! You and I am a family. Jacob is, Oni is, but them outside are only family with an asterisk. I don't ever wish to call them "brother", Oey. Please understand that."</p>
<p>Joe caresses my cheek, smoothing his well used thumb over my eyebrow. "Perhaps we can show you the pat..."</p>
<p>"No."</p>
<p>That wasn't me.</p>
<p>Jake steps forward, and tugs me back into him. I trip with the force. "Not her, Joe. Not us. We have enough people on our side." </p>
<p>Wut? </p>
<p>Joe comes closer to us, the arms that hold me up tense around my middle. Is Pops... Scared? Should I say a thing?</p>
<p>"Brother Jacob, she may need to see our visio..."</p>
<p>"No, Joe. I get it, put it on everybody else, but not her. I refuse you access to Jos. Think about it, brother. She saved us. She's already God's gift."</p>
<p>What?? </p>
<p>Joe sighs, and his intense gaze consumes only the one beyond me. It's all I can do not to squirm, not to ask, not to beg a reason why. I allow a shift and grasp at Jacob's hand. He's cold and clammy, and I'm suddenly furious. </p>
<p>He's Pops, always has been, always protected us. </p>
<p>But never had to from our own kin. </p>
<p>I reach out and grab Joe's wrist. "Oey? Can I not just trust you?"</p>
<p>His eyes, which delve too deep, soften immediately, and he ducks to brush his lips against my frozen cheek. "Of course, my flower. You were always the one who knew the path to my heart." He grasps at my hand and tugs me away from a reluctant Pops. We leave the bedroom, heading up the hallway to mine. </p>
<p>When we reach the bathroom, the tub is filled with fresh, rose scented bubbles. The heat immediately calls to me. Joe tugs at a handle I couldn't see and the water stops, we both stand before the tub, and I'm still wary of him. </p>
<p>I'm wary of him.</p>
<p>Of my brother. Who sang, and made up stories, and tucked us in, and fed us all. He used to crush my feet in his warm hands to keep me happy. He used to sketch us drawings of squirrels and frogs and allow us to name them and keep the sketches as beloved pets. He would eat less to feed us all, and don't think I didn't try to do the same for him.</p>
<p>But he always saw through me.</p>
<p>That was Oey.</p>
<p>This was Joseph. </p>
<p>"You're still him. You're still my big brother, and everyday I regret not holding tighter onto your hand before making my choice." I stare adamantly at the bubbles, refusing to look at him. "I worry that I can't see you anymore as the kid in my dreams, but you're here. You're really here, and whatever happened to you can just be a memory." I tug at his scrawny fingers, bumping my hip into his. "If I'm the last piece of who you were, then please don't let me go." </p>
<p>There's silence as the bubbles softly pop ahead of us. My thoughts, tired and troubled, daren't lose him but know that I may already have. </p>
<p>"I won't lose you again, my flower. I promise. Not your body or your mind will belong to anybody else but those you love." </p>
<p>I think that's okay then. I turn, crushing my ear to the pounding of his heart. He's alive. Once more, I'm certain of it.</p>
<p>Two out of three ain't bad.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. EPILOGUE Part 2: I knows you better than you knows yourself.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Time spent with doofy. </p><p>Warning: Sibling shenanigans including biting.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, my darlings ☺️</p><p>So we’re coming up to end of Josie. I’m gonna miss writing about their childhood, it’s been really sweet making up stories and little adventures before all the murder and extreme cultism. What do you think about a future fic purely based on Josie and their adventures as children? You think that would be too sad cos you know they’ll be split up? I’ll think on it. It’ll be way off in the future cos I’m writing a new fic with no Josie. </p><p>Annnnnnywhos, you take care of yourselves. Next week is the last Chapter, and then, only for my Saturday fic, I’m taking the time off until April so I can catch up on both fics. It’s better for the time off cos the next Saturday fic after this will be TWISTED and I’ve never done that level of TWISTED before so I need to figure out how TWISTED I am. </p><p>WealthyWetSunny, one of my favourite Authors, is soft and can write twisted so I know it’s possible. Just gotta write two endings and figure myself out a bit. </p><p>Love ya butts 💜</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>-28 years ago-</p><p>“Oni, lookit!!” I throw myself dramatically forward, just barely being caught by Pop’s strong arms as I point out the prettiest bird ever seen. </p><p>“For fuc... Jos! Quit squirming!!” Pop lifts me high upup and puts me on his strong shoulders again. I giggle, my arm still stuck out pointing at the bird while the other clutches Pop’s redred hair. </p><p>“I see it, Josie!!” Oni calls out from being held in Oey’s arms. I twist round to peek back at my doofy brother, dropping my arm to wrap round Pop’s chin, and pressing my cheek to Pop’s hair as I stick my tongue out. </p><p>We in the forest. Our forest, cos it’s my birthday. Is Oni, too, but I already know I’m bestest twin. He’s doofy and I save everybody from cold and father and yucky worms and that thing that grows upup in our bedroom. I’m the bestest two. Pops said so that one time he poorly and I was nurse special helper to drip soup into his mouth. </p><p>But Oni okay. He’s just doofy. I kissed him lots this morning. Oey said I gotta cos they couldn’t find a plane for him so he only allowed truck. But he flew it in air anyways. That’s why he doofy. Truck don’t fly so good. </p><p>“Hold tight, trouble. We goin down.” I fist both my hands into Pop’s hair and he runs fast down the steepsteep hill, bouncing me about on his shoulders. </p><p>“Again!!” I cry out, squealing as little itchy bugs whip at my face. I spit at the bottom, giggling as I realise Pops is spitting, too. </p><p>“Do Oni!! Do Oni!!” I scoot about, peering up at Oni as Oey walks them carefully down the hill. I feel Pop’s hair twist round as he looks up, too. </p><p>“Maybe later, little shadow. I think Oni may be barfy from his breakfast.”</p><p>I pout, but I understand. That’s why I smart. Because I understand. Oey has a silly tummy. Maybe Pops can bring us back later. The bugs won’t mind. Unless we eat them. </p><p>I rest my chin on his fluffy hair. “Where we goin, PopPop?” </p><p>A big hand reaches up and tickles my belly. “Found a new fishin hole on the way back from work. You wanna check it out, Jos?”</p><p>“Ca... <em> May </em> I have new tadpole, Pops? Father found Taddy and killed him.”</p><p>A new hand reaches up and rests on my boot. “We’ll find you one, dearest flower. For both of you. And if we can’t, I’ll sketch out the prettiest flower I can find and you may hang that up.”</p><p>I beam down at Oey. He’s always trying to make our bedroom more colourful. “Love yous, Oey.” I reach down and cling to his hand. </p><p>I don’t see the look Oni gives me. Which is good, really, as it isn’t kind. </p><p>-Later that day-</p><p>“... and we found seven tadpole but six were dead and Pops said we could only have the last one if we will willing to share it, and I said that...”</p><p>“Little flower, I know. I was there, too. Remember the sketches?”</p><p>I pout, tucking my cold toes under Oni. “Oh yea. I jus saying. I think we should go back tomorrow, Oey. PopPop says we should.”</p><p>“No, he didn’t, Jos! He said we shouldn’t cos of the trash further up the river.” </p><p>I groan, flopping back against the thin pillow. “Shh Oni!!”</p><p>Unfortunately, Oey heard everything cos he’s a super good listener. “Now now, Josephine. What did we say about lying?”</p><p>Urgh. “No lying in front of our Lord.”</p><p>He kneels down beside me an Oni and wraps the blankets until we burritos. With a gentle tug of my nose, he kisses me fondly on the forehead, then moves to do the same to Oni. “Good girl, flower. We must take upon him in gratitude and not allow ourselves to...?”</p><p>“... Slide along the wicked tongue. I know, Oni. I jus wanted to go back cos I liked today a lot.”</p><p>He smiles that teeny smile which means he’s happy. The big one is a lie. He lies, too. Oni and me figured that out last month. “Happy Birthday, my sweetest angels. Oey loves you both very much.” He stands and makes his way out the room, pulling the door to a crack cos Oni dislikes the scary dark monster that sits on our belly and sucks our happiness away. “I’ll just be down the hall with Pop. Off to sleep with you both.”</p><p>I yawn, pushing my fists at the tighttight blanket. Oey is the bestest at burrito blanket. Pops only tucks us in when we’ve been hurt. He usually tells us scary stories bout monsters. Oey talks about God. Sometimes, he’s scary too. But I don’t tell him that. </p><p>“Nighty night, Oni. Tomorrow, we think up name for tadpole, okay?”</p><p>Silence. My silly brother must be asleep. That’s okay, I love him anyw...</p><p><em> “ARGHHHH!!” </em> </p><p>Something bit me!! Oh my gosh, was it Taddy 2?? It hurts so bad. I bite my lip hard and struggle to yank my leg upup. There’s something warm and tickly dripping down my knee and I know it’s blood, I just know it!! </p><p>“ONI!! Are you oka...?!”</p><p>The door slams open and I flinch cos I expect the large figure to be Father. But it walks different, its eyes full of worry. It’s Pop, I know it. They seem too samesy but only in look. </p><p>“What happened??” He flashes the light on and drops beside us, yanking at the blankey. There’s a gasp when I see the bloody bite on my uppy leg. I reach out to poke but Pop grabs my fingers up and presses them to his lips. “Honey, what did this??”</p><p>It was Oni. He bit me. He bit me bad. </p><p>But I lie. </p><p>“There!! Pops, look!” I flail at the exit and watch as Pops runs out the door to chase my lie. When he’s gone, I rub at my leg hard to make it look weird. Scary invisible monster shouldn’t have Oni’s teeth. </p><p>“Josi...?!”</p><p>I grab the blankey and rub it against my hands and scuff it against Oni’s lips. I’m 5 years old now, practicality an adult!! I gotta take care of him, even from himself. </p><p>“Shhhh, Oni!! It was a fox, okay??”</p><p>“But it was...”</p><p>“A fox!! I know, Oni. Big n red, with that awful sticky tail!” I cry just as Oey pops up from being all worried in the hallway. </p><p>There’s a crash further down the hall, and Oey leaves the room. I hear quick whispers of my biggest brothers, and I grasp at Oni’s sweaty, trembly hand. </p><p>Do they know??</p><p>“...Fine, Joe!! I know!! I know... Jus let me tell her, okay?”</p><p>PopPop grabs the edge of our door before walking super slow inside our bedroom. He drops to the floor beside us, shifting his big hand through his fluffy hair. </p><p>“Jos... you gotta go to the doc, alright? I couldn’t even see the damn thing, it ran too fast, but you gotta get a shot.”</p><p>Oh.</p><p>“Pops? Am I gonna die?”</p><p>Pops grips my chin, a flush nippy at his cheeks. “No!! For fuc... No, sweetheart. It’s just a shot, maybe a few more in time. You jus hold my hand, and we’ll get through this, alright? Sometimes, foxes have yucky germs and we gotta flush you out like when we hosed out that rabbit hole, remember?”</p><p>I sniff, holding Oni’s hand tighter against the blankey. “Okay, PopPop. I be strong for you. Can I hug Oni goodnight before we go?”</p><p>He bounces his head up and down, kissing us both briskly on the brow. “Sure, pup. I’ll grab the keys to the truck. Make sure to use the bathroom, okay, trouble?”</p><p>I nods a lot, waiting till my biggest brothers leave. </p><p>Oni tries to whisper out the truth, but I don’t need to hear it. “It’s okay, Oni. I’m not Oey. Why you did that bitey thing is cos you needed to. I won’t tell. I promise.”</p><p>“...But??” </p><p>I bonk Oni on the head with my blankey, scruffing his hair about. He’s such a doofus. “I gotta go, Oni. Promise you’ll take care of them if I die?”</p><p>“You’re not...!”</p><p>“Oni!! Please!! We so old now. Pops says we got new responsibility. This is one of them.”</p><p>He hugs me so tight that I think I die there n then cos all my blood fall out like a squished toothpaste. </p><p>“I promise, Josie.”</p><p>-Present day-</p><p>-John-</p><p>Something was different. </p><p>He couldn’t quite...</p><p>No. </p><p>Nothing had changed. </p><p>He was still alone, still afraid. Still trapped in his Sins and the want to enforce them. </p><p>Perhaps today would be different, but probably not. For this was not the life that lay ahead of him. John Seed was the Baptist. The younger brother of the ear of God, the youngest brother to a warrior, the elder brother to a corpse. </p><p>As it was, as it remains. </p><p>Amen. </p><p>With a shuddering sigh, John flipped the soft duvet off his long legs, and slid off the cushion prepped up above his feet.</p><p>To replace her. </p><p>He could never make the cushion warm enough. </p><p>John dangled his feet off the bed, the soft shag pile skimming his flesh, and padded in the direction of his marbl...</p><p>“Owww!! Oni!! Owowow... you forgot about me already??”</p><p>He simply gaped. He must be asleep, or maybe she’s a thief, or maybe he’s dead, too?</p><p>“Oni? You okay? Want me to get Joe?”</p><p>The odd, scrawny creature crawled up his leg till they were staring eye to eye. </p><p>The same eyes he saw everyday in the mirror. Theirs was purple at the edges but it was her. It was... it was!! </p><p>John crushed himself against the weaker frame of his baby sister, holding onto the edge of the bed as she simply crumpled like paper beneath him. She was weak, and tired. He could feel it. But it was her!! </p><p>It wasn’t a dream. Sometimes the Bliss... Sometimes he imagined. But he had never once felt a heart beating against his. Not once. </p><p>His Josie. </p><p>
  <em> His. </em>
</p><p>“Erm... we did meet yesterday. Do you remember? You called me a “whore” and then tried to drown me and then Pops grounded us.”</p><p>He laughed. He couldn’t help it. She was still just as lively as she was as a child. He, however, had damaged significantly. All sections of his heart simply ripped asunder, beaten, then placed in all the wrong places. </p><p>Even his happiness was flawed. </p><p>His gifted mind a fool’s game. </p><p>The sense of lif...</p><p>“Hey, doofy. You’re gonna squish me like a pancake.” Jos squirmed under his heavy grip, allowing herself freedom only after she yanked at his beard. “Hey, can we have pancakes for breakfast? I haven’t had them since that fit church dude invited me to a church dinner. Can you even eat pancakes, Oni, or does your beard eat them first?” Josie burst into giggles at her own joke, twisting her legs up and dropping into the floor. She yanked at his ankle until he clumsily slid down beside her, humming with delight when her weakened frame leaned against him, a bruised arm sliding up his and meeting at his hand to wrap her fingers around John’s own. </p><p>She was always so strong, his Josie. His “belly buddy”, as she used to call them. </p><p>“I missed you, Oni. All those years apart and I spoke to you everyday.”</p><p>“Dearest, I missed you. I just... I believed you to be passed.” John admitted, taking in every freckle, every curve, every scar and bruise that lay upon the one leg of hers she had stretched out in front of them. </p><p>“You know I couldn’t leave you like that, O. I mean, they can drag us apart all they want but to die... Jus won’t have it, ya know?” She snuggled into his neck, blowing at the bits of beard he’d yet to cut. “Wouldn’t allow it. Days of struggles was just another excuse to find you.”</p><p>His sigh was exhausted. Like he’d already run the day out. “Remember our birthday? The one when I bit you?” He smiled at the small snort she gave. Yea, she remembered. </p><p>“I’m older now. If you try it again, I may have to clock ya in the jaw.”</p><p>“And I would deserve it, Josie. Just... It bothered me how we left that whole experience. I expected the punishment. I deserved it. Why...?”</p><p>“Come on, Johnny. It really matters still?”</p><p>“Of course.” John pulled away, catching her azure eyes, forever filled with mischief, gazing up at him in sleepy curiosity. “You must tell me. Then I’m certain you’re real, that you’re truly holding your hand in mine.”</p><p>“Oni, it’s not as poetic as all that. I helped you cos you’re my brother.”</p><p>“But I bit you! You had to get a shot!” </p><p>...Please lie, please lie, please lie...</p><p>“O, you’re my brother!!” Jos slid out of his sweaty grip and knelt in front of him. He didn’t need to look at her face to know the look she gave him. “I wouldn’t ever punish you for that.”</p><p>What? </p><p>“You wouldn’t ever punish me for being your brother??”</p><p>“Eh huh. You know Pops, he woulda punished you with chores. Oey would have us talk and talk until forgiveness was the only way out. But you n me?” She reached forward, grazing her fingertips against his forehead. Like she used to do when he couldn’t sleep. “We’re one Seed. Jus the one. Split us in two and we’ll still grow, right? We did all our fightin in the womb. Even when we were five, I knew I had to love ya.”</p><p>John was stumped. “Do you remember why I did it?”</p><p>“I don’t remember you saying so, no.” </p><p>John gritted his teeth, twisting his fingers in the robe he wore to bed. “I believed, and I still believe, that they loved you more.”</p><p>He daren’t look. He daren’t. </p><p>“Why?”</p><p>He slumped back, feeling his age from childhood. A thousand years ago now, surely. </p><p>“They always spoke with you, listened with you. I felt like your shadow.”</p><p>“...Oni...”</p><p>“That’s not true, John.”</p><p>Joseph!! </p><p>John leapt up from his Sloth, dragging his fingers through his hair, and feeling automatic shame at his appearance. </p><p>Joseph stood simply at John’s door, a mug of lemon tea warming his cupped hands, and wrapped in his favourite knitted cardigan. </p><p>“Mornin, bro!” Jos called gleefully from her position curled up on the bedroom floor. </p><p>Joseph nudged the door aside and padded across the room in bare feet to brush his fingers through the hair of their youngest sibling. “Good morning, my dear. You were not where we left you.”</p><p>There was a faint hit of pink across her hollow cheeks before she climbed carefully up Joseph, not even accepting the hand that was graced her way. “Yea, sorry. I know the beds are fancy but I don’t like them. Since I slept on the floor, I thought I may as well do it in here.”  </p><p>“Perhaps John can order...”</p><p>“Hold up, Oey. We’re trying to reassure Johnny.”</p><p>Joseph hummed softly. John didn’t need to know it was because few butted in on Joseph. “Of course. Brother, please.” Joseph placed his mug on the nightstand, and sat on the edge of the bed, patting the blanket beside him. John sat as neatly as he could, though his body was still a-tremor. Josie wobbled, but made her way back against the wardrobe, resting more than leaning against the fine mahogany wood. </p><p>“Father hated Josephine, it’s as simple as that. He didn’t want a little girl. They were useless in his opinion. You both do not remember, but when we were around Father, Jacob and I had to treat Josephine as if she was nothing at all. We were not allowed to speak with her, play with her. We had to shun our little sister from her own family.” A tear rolled unexpectedly down Joseph’s cheek. “There were times that Father outright refused her food.” </p><p>Joseph rose from his position on the bed and made his way to Josie. He placed a hand on hers, threading his long fingers through her own. “It got to us. We started to believe him, that you, my sweetest flower, were not worthy of our time.” </p><p>Joseph turned to John, and tugged at Josie’s fingers, leaning her fragile body onto his. “However, it was you, John, that saved her life. We may have been manipulated by our Father, but you remained the brother to our sister. You held her hand, you fed her behind our backs, you even tucked yourself into the cardboard box she was spared to sleep in at night.”</p><p>Joseph reached down and pulled John’s hand to slide it into his own. “You made her real again, you made us remember. And when we invited her back into our hearts behind Father’s back, our Josie found her fire, her heart, and her voice. But Jacob and I never forgot how you saved her life, simply by being her brother. And a better one than the other two.” John’s lip trembled as Joseph kissed his brow. “John, I never loved you less. I love you both equally, and I couldn’t be happier for this day that <em> finally, </em> our family is complete.”</p><p>Joseph pulled the twins into a crushing hug. A real, heart pounding love that John hadn’t felt from his brother since they had been tearfully pulled apart years ago. Their heads were bonked together in the middle, and John felt, finally, like he had been accepted by Joseph. Not once had his older brother told him this story, holding this moment out of his reach for the entire time they had found one another. </p><p>It was cruel. And John could search the reason why over and over again but until he asked...</p><p>“Joseph? Why wait to tell me this.”</p><p>“Because you are not one without your other half, brother. You believed her passed, and to know it then would have broken your spirit. We had to find the other side of you.”</p><p>“A hint coulda helped, Oey.” Josie muttered, cheekily elbowing Joseph in the waist. </p><p>Joseph smiled gently, bumping her back with his hip. “Perhaps you are right. Even God himself doesn’t show us our path, but he is Almighty, and you are my family. Forgive me, brother?”</p><p>Of course!! Mostly. Maybe. It would have helped, he could have worked with it. </p><p>...</p><p>“Not entirely, but I will, Joseph.”</p><p>A crease of worry momentarily scarred Joseph’s brow, but a nudge from John’s twin shooed it away. </p><p>With a tired, wary smile, Joseph replied with a consistent nod. “Very well.”</p><p>“Alright, kids. Wake the fuck up, breakfast in a half hour!” </p><p>“Pops!!” Josie pulled away from her brothers and stumbled away to peer over the banister. “Hey, Pops!!” </p><p>“Brat. Butt in the bath now!”</p><p>Joseph chuckled, beaming at their sister half hanging down the stairs. “I’d best get on that, John. She hasn’t figured out the modern design you’re so fond on.” Joe crushed his head against John’s, closing his eyes and sighing. “Are were okay, brother?”</p><p>John took in a long breath, truly believing in his brother’s guilt. “We will be.”</p><p>Joseph pulled away, brushing a hand down his cardigan then collecting his mug and padding out the door. John watched as his brother yanked on the back of their sister’s shirt to try to correct her enthusiastic balance, and he grinned when Jos kissed their older brother’s cheek on his way past. </p><p>With a beaming, toothy smile, Josie hopped back into John’s bedroom, rocking on her heels in half contained thrill. “Wanna see something??” </p><p>John barely had a second to nod his affirmative before being knocked back to sitting on his bed. A scrawny leg got wobbly placed beside him, and twisted so the back was to the light. </p><p>He could see it. His scar, faded near to nothing. But fresher still was the carved out writing beside it. </p><p>ONI WAS HERE</p><p>“I did it on a bad day about fifteen years back. I felt myself forgetting you, and I was mad, so I carved it next to the piece of me you left behind.”</p><p>John stared, tracing the risen flesh with his fingertip. “I’m glad I bit you, then.” John grinned in disbelief. </p><p>“Me too, dopey.”</p><p>John beamed and started making his way to the bathroom. Only a tentative tug on his shirt stopped him. “Hey, Oni? I don’t remember it, but I might have realised when we were little.” Jos threw her arms around his neck, her frail body being held up by his strength alone. “Thank you for giving me a family. I don’t think I woulda survived without your protection.”</p><p>Not once did John think he’d ever hear those words from his baby sister. She had spent all the time he could remember tending to her older brothers, no matter how impossible the task. </p><p>No matter how many times she had failed. </p><p>He buried himself into her fluffy hair, finding a need that strung them back together. </p><p>Protectiveness. No matter the odds. </p><p>He chuckled into her neck, trust him to be the start of all that.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. EPILOGUE Part 3: The best part of myself.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Josie starts getting used to having a family again.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Troublechips!! Hiyyoooo 🥰</p>
<p>Soooo!! The last Chapter of Josie. I really liked this one so I’m a bit bummed out that the Author hit it n quit it. She was a light in their life which was stolen away and awkwardly returned slightly battered and bruised but will now be that hope in their life, I like to think. Something worthy to fight for, or to live for. </p>
<p>Saturday fics will be off until April as I need time to catch up on Jade and the next Saturday fic. I might look into one shots but I really enjoy the characters I make up and I enjoy spending time with them so... maybe. We’ll see. </p>
<p>Love ya buttkins 💜</p>
<p>PS: There’s a small connection to Bump in this fic. We can call this an extension of that if you so wish. It just made sense.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>-Jos-</p>
<p>“Come on, flower. Jacob has an early meeting and he’d rather share breakfast with his family.”</p>
<p>Don’t tell him you fell asleep. <br/>I wanna live in this bath. <br/>I’ve never felt so clean and sleepy and sleep...slee...</p>
<p>A bang on the door forced the bubbles to flee the tub. “Do I gotta come in there?? You have five minutes and then I’ll knock this damn door down.”</p>
<p>“Okay!! Okay! It’s all John’s fault this bath is faultless.”</p>
<p>“Is not!!”</p>
<p>I snort, carefully clambering out the tub and grabbing the fluffy towel off the heaty wall thing. Even the FLOOR was heated, no fucking lie. </p>
<p>“Go on, get, you two. I’m out. Oni, I’m borrowing your pants.” </p>
<p>“We filled the shelves with clothes, Jos.”</p>
<p>“I’ve seen your taste, Oni! If I come downstairs dressed in a silk shirt and a beard then we’ll definitely be twinsies.”</p>
<p><em> “Female </em> clothes, Josie!” There was a scuffle then stomping boots traipsed out the bedroom. </p>
<p>What in fresh hell are <em> female </em> clothes?</p>
<p>I peek out the bathroom door to an empty room. On the bed is a book, a white book, but entertainment on the streets counts for book reading and survival. I’ve probably read the damn thing anyways, do you know how many books get thrown out everyday? Pretty much used them as winter coverings. </p>
<p>The fancy ass wardrobe to the side was ajar, a strip of white fabric sticking out, begging me to pet it. I pulled the door aside to the prettiest dresses I’d never once worn. When did they <em> ever </em> see me in these? I spent my time as a child in hand me downs from brothers, from <em> males. </em></p>
<p>I don’t even remember ma. I wasn’t allowed in the bedroom to disturb her. All I remember was that she was sad and quiet, and my big brothers didn’t so much threaten me than <em> beg </em> me not to disturb her. </p>
<p>So it was boys. It was lil punches to the arm, tickle fights, and war stories. Don’t hate the storyteller, it was the early 90s. I never got a dolly, but I sure got threatened with them. </p>
<p>Anyhow, these wouldn’t do. Even the blouses, which I could pretend were shirts, only had frilly, twizzly skirts to match with. Don’t even get me started with the shoes. I lived on the same pair of boots for a decade, you think these teeny heels and weird sock like thin shoes would protect me from anything but a single ant?  </p>
<p>Where’s Pops clothes? </p>
<p>I peeped out onto the hallway, grinning at the light laughter of John downstairs, with Pops rustling up a story about a “devious little devil who only went and fucking released my wolves...” </p>
<p>...</p>
<p>Oh that’s me. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I’ll just ignore that and pretend not to listen to what Jacob would do if I wasn’t his sister. </p>
<p>I’ll just be a sec... there we go. Black tank, and shorts that only stay up if keep my thighs clenched together and walk like a penguin. </p>
<p>“Josephine?”</p>
<p>I jumped a foot, only having the common sense to drop down on my ass rather than allow the shorts to drop. “Joe!! Hi...!” I squeak out, just barely able to climb the set of drawers beside me.</p>
<p> “Are our clothes we laid out not sufficient?” He questions me quietly as Joe wraps his arm around my hip and leads us out Jacob’s bedroom. </p>
<p>I open my mouth, ready for the long list of reasons as to why their fashion taste appears suited to a 70s cult horror flick, but instead... I guess it bugged me. </p>
<p>“Would you have let me waste away if John hadn’t saved me, Oey?”</p>
<p>Joe lets out a soft gasp, and tightens his hold on me. I watch his profile, it doesn’t change. </p>
<p>Yes, they would have. </p>
<p>“It’s okay to say “yes”, Oey. What I remember about Father... he wasn’t a good man.”</p>
<p>“No, he was not.” A tremor runs through him, his eyes distant and lost. </p>
<p>So I hug him. I know how to hug my brothers, at least. It’s not entirely successful, they still have to help me along. He gets tugged into my arms, a light breath gets squished out of him, and a bearded chin placed on my noodle. “I promise I won’t ever let you down again, flower. I promise you.”</p>
<p>“I won’t hold you to that, Joe.”</p>
<p> He steps back, his intense gaze on my skeptical one. “Josie?”</p>
<p>“You’re the leader of a cult, Oey. Last night, I woke up to screaming outside my window. Your men chained me up and tossed me in a cage. There were chopped up people in buckets for the wolves. If you weren’t my brother, and I still had that vision, I would have let him live.”</p>
<p>“Josephin...”</p>
<p>“No. We’re done with this.” I tug myself weakly away and he lets me stumble out over to the banister. I listen to my brothers joking about at the base. </p>
<p>My family. <em> My </em> family. </p>
<p>“I love you, Joe. I love you and I missed you. But I’m not joining your cult. John defied you as a child from our father, and now I’m defying you as an adult from your God.” I wait until he leans against the banister beside me. “You were always going to have troublesome baby twins, Oey. John and I were born to be pesky in your presence.”</p>
<p>He smirks, a twinge of that old southern accent sweeping through. “Don’t I know it.”</p>
<p>I grin, bumping into him enough to lean my head against his shoulder. “So we okay? You aren’t gonna trap a loop around my neck and toss me in a cage again?”</p>
<p>“Not unless you throw my sketch book into the river.”</p>
<p>I cringe. Oh shit.</p>
<p>“You remember that?”</p>
<p>“It was one of the last memories we had together before we were separated.”</p>
<p>“Well, you had just refused me from being able to have fresh eggs for breakfast by my putting a whole hen in the fireplace!”</p>
<p>He chuckles, dipping down to kiss my brow. “I did wonder why that hen was being squashed into the saucepan.”</p>
<p>A sharp whistle near knocks me over the banister. “Get your asses down here, kids, or I’ll eat it myself!”</p>
<p>Pops so grumpy. </p>
<p>“Come on, chicken. I won’t count out Jacob tossing you over his shoulder and forcing you to eat just yet.”</p>
<p>I snort. Me either. </p>
<p>I stumble down the stairs, my excitement beating out my common sense, and make my way to that family table that’s both adorable and horrifying. There’s a biiig vat of bubbling porridge in the centre with a selection of fruit and jams in glass bowls surrounding it. </p>
<p>My breath gets short and I bounce so much on the spot that Oey has to nudge me closer to the table. “Come on, sister. I can promise Pops is capable of eating that entire breakfast on his own.”</p>
<p>No!! “No!! I mean, thank you, Pops.” I flash a grin at Jacob who’s currently gaping at his clothes on me, and immediately jab an elbow into Oey. “Shut up, Joe!! You know he likes a challenge!”</p>
<p>“Yes, I do. Sit your ass down. I’m already late.”</p>
<p>“What’s your excuse, brother?” Oni pops up from behind the fridge, his arms filled with colourful juices. He drops the many brightly coloured bottles on the side table, and reaches down to hug me before pulling out a chair and guiding me in. </p>
<p>At least, I’m vaguely aware of him doing that cos food exists and I need it. </p>
<p>“That my baby sister returned to life to ruin mine. You?”</p>
<p>I perked up, patiently waiting for Oni to plonk himself down. “About the same. That God gifted me a twin.” </p>
<p>I snort, lifting the blueberries up to snuffle at them while John drops beside me. “You can’t blame God for that, John. A pair of socks coming outta ma woulda been more loved at the time, though.”</p>
<p>Oey slides in across from me while Jake drops so heavily in the final chair that a blueberry flies out of the bowl. “We were wrong, Josephine. A form of manipulation as a child can twist ones soul just as easily as a twist in the wind.”</p>
<p>Pops drops his arm across my shoulder, pinching the felled blueberry off my plate and scarfin it. “He’s right, little shadow. Besides, you remember most of the good times. That’s what matters.”</p>
<p>“Indeed, dear flower. Now, let’s say Grace.” </p>
<p>Jacob snatches my hand up, and Oni threads his fingers through mine. “Lord, you have shown us the truth as easily as it comes to you. Within your Grace, we are grateful. <em> Amen.” </em></p>
<p>“Alright, kid. I’ll set you up. I know you’re starvin, but we can’t rush this shit, ya hear?” orders Pops, pulling the lid aside and scooping up the teeniest spoon of porridge I’ve ever seen in my life. He drops the bowl in front of me, and I don’t even wait. </p>
<p>There’s a small shudder around us, but the food is all I see. I grasp my spoon and di...</p>
<p><em> “GOGOGO!!!” </em> </p>
<p>A arm is wrapped around my waist, and I’m physically picked up and tossed over Pop’s shoulder. I cry out when my ribs scream in pain as I’m thumped against his strong back over and over again. I don’t understand...</p>
<p>I squeal when the windows break, showering us in shards of glass and a hand is forced against my head when I try to look up. All I see is the floor covered in glass, crunching with each desperate step of Jacob’s boots. There’s a sudden waft of wind that gusts my clothes about so much that I yelp with terror as a rush of heat touches my bare flesh. </p>
<p>Am I dying??</p>
<p>“Pops?!” </p>
<p>“Almost there, sweetheart. Hold tight!”</p>
<p>A hand, sweaty and cold, grasps mine and a door is slammed open somewhere ahead. There’s a yell and I feel the hand try to tug away but I hold it tighttight and it’s finally dragged in with us. A scream of wailing ...something (??) follows us into the dark, and with a loud, metallic piercing screech, it is silenced.</p>
<p>The world still shudders, and I still remain hanging here. “Pops??”</p>
<p>“We’re safe. We’re here, we’re safe.” </p>
<p>Two hands tighten around my hips and I’m lifted and dropped to the ground where I promptly collapse in a ball. </p>
<p>“What?? Pops?? Are we dead??”</p>
<p>“No. No, honey. We’re safe. We’re in a tunnel that’ll lead us to a bunker, okay, trouble?”</p>
<p>“What was that?!”</p>
<p>Pops drops beside me, tugging the spoon stained with porridge out of my hand but I refuse, gripping it so tightly that my hand begins to tremble. “It’s a cult thing, Jos. Except we didn’t know when it would happen.”</p>
<p>I’m lifted up, but am unable to stand on my own. Pops scoops me into his arms, kissing my brow over and over again, which only confuses me more, before Oey appears, his hands clasped in prayer. “It was the collapse, my dearest flower. God finally placed us together where we would not be split apart and made sure we would live on hand in hand.”</p>
<p>Oh. </p>
<p>“Should we... What now??”</p>
<p>A trail of tears is brushed away by John who beams at me before spilling orders into his radio, and starts to lead us down a long tunnel.</p>
<p>“Now we live.”</p>
<p>-32 years ago-</p>
<p>“Shit, Joe. You hold him."</p>
<p>Joseph didn't know how to. With whispered mutterings of "Support the head, support the head." Jacob passed the baby to Joseph.</p>
<p>Joseph clutched the baby, whos tiny fist was currently bonking himself on the nose.</p>
<p>"Hi Bump. You grew up. Look at you. You're beautiful."</p>
<p>A tear ran down his face, closely followed by more as they clashed with Jacob's tear on the baby's cheek. That made Joseph cry even more.</p>
<p>They were truly connected. Three brothers. Family. They would survive this worl...</p>
<p>“Hold up.”</p>
<p>What?</p>
<p>Joseph dragged himself away from the miracle that was his baby brother to see a tiny fist fighting the air from mother’s womb. Another child? Another boy?! How... could they take care of two?? </p>
<p>Yes, yes they would. God would protect them. </p>
<p>It was easy to tug out the little fighting brother. A simple tug from Jacob and a beautiful baby bo... Girl. </p>
<p>It’s a girl. </p>
<p>A sister!! </p>
<p>Jake burst into laughter when he realised, grabbing a tea towel off the shelf and wrapping up the tiny bundle. </p>
<p>“Oh... she’s a fighter this one.” Jacob laughed in disbelief when the baby grabbed his finger. Their sister struggled out of the towel, and soon had both her fists waving about in the air. Joseph had to pull the boy away to stop a fist from smacking him. </p>
<p>They both stared at these two God given gifts, knowing they’d be treasured. Within a moment, they’d already developed personalities, a future, a life of their own. </p>
<p>As long as they’d be a part of each other, Joseph was sure they’d be okay. </p>
<p>After all, they were siblings, and God was on their side.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>